Israeli Broadcasting Authority: 16 soldiers commit suicide due to fighting in Gaza

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported, citing an Israeli military investigation, that 16 soldiers have committed suicide since the beginning of the year due to combat conditions related to the war in Gaza.

According to the IDF investigations, the results of which were published Sunday morning, the suicides are attributed to the difficult scenes the soldiers experienced, the loss of friends, and the inability to cope with the events.

The IDF conducts investigations into every suicide case, including examining messages left by soldiers and their conversations with their immediate surroundings.

A senior military official told the Israeli Broadcasting Authority that "most of the suicides of IDF soldiers are due to the complex reality that followed the war. War has consequences, these are difficult challenges, and there are many cases."

He pointed out that the number of mental health officers for regular soldiers has increased by 200, and the number of mental health officers in the reserves by 600.

Since the beginning of 2025, 16 cases of soldier suicide have been recorded, including seven reservists, four of whom committed suicide last month. Two of them committed suicide during their service, and two others committed suicide after completing complex reserve service.