Suicides among Israeli soldiers increase during Gaza genocide

According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), suicide attempts among Israeli soldiers have surged following the military’s assault on Gaza since October 2023, which has escalated into a genocide.

At least “28 soldiers are suspected to have committed suicide since the beginning of Israel’s brutality in Gaza,” the Israeli military said. 

Citing the military statement, it added that athat 17 soldiers have died in "suspected suicides," a figure higher than 2023 when 17 Israeli soldiers attempted suicide, of which seven took their lives following the military offensive on Gaza.

During the military operation in Gaza, there were 891 soldiers killed and at least 5,569 injured. 

As many as 363 Israeli soldiers were killed in 2024, the number is less than 558 in 2023 and 515 in 2022. 

“For preventing suicides, a mental health helpline has been operational around the clock and the number of mental health staff increased,” the Israeli military sources said.

At least 45,600 victims, mostly women and children, were killed in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, continuous since October 7, 2023.

On Thursday alone, Israeli airstrikes targeted the Gaza Strip, killing at least 68 Palestinians, including high-ranking Hamas police officials and civilians displaced by the conflict.

Among the dead were the head of the Gaza police force, his deputy, and nine civilians who were killed at a tent camp for displaced individuals, according to Gaza authorities.

Last year, the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Furthermore, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. However, neither has been apprehended by any country to date.

The overall Palestinian death toll since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza has reached at least 45,553 with more than 108,379 wounded. Thousands more remain trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.