Israeli soldiers with mental illnesses protest outside the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that dozens of Israeli soldiers with mental illnesses due to the Gaza war are protesting outside the Ministry of Defense to demand equality and treatment.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported, citing the Ministry of Defense's Rehabilitation Department, that approximately 80,000 wounded soldiers are currently being treated.

It added that 26,000 wounded soldiers suffer from mental disorders.

The Ministry of Defense's Rehabilitation Department also explained that the number of wounded soldiers and the prevalence of suicide are a major challenge.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported, citing Israeli military investigations, 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 Israeli military 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 Israeli occupation army 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 cases of suicide among IDF soldiers are due to the complex circumstances 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 has increased by 600.