According to a report by Al Jazeera, more than two years of conflict have severely affected not only Israeli soldiers but also civilians, leaving many people suffering from deep psychological trauma.

A recent survey conducted by Maccabi Healthcare Services found that nearly one-third of Israelis believe they need professional mental health support. The situation is considered even more serious among active-duty soldiers and reserve personnel.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense reported in January that cases of post-traumatic stress disorder among soldiers increased by nearly 40 percent after September 2023, with fears that the figure could rise by 180 percent by 2028.

Israeli media reported that the government has still not released the number of soldiers discharged due to mental health problems during this period, despite being legally required to do so.

This month, Israel’s emergency medical service Magen David Adom launched a special mental health emergency service after recording a 45 percent increase in related calls. Most calls were reportedly linked to the continuous stress caused by ongoing wars.

One of the clearest signs of the worsening mental health crisis is the sharp rise in suicides, particularly among military personnel.

According to a report published by The Jerusalem Post, 78 percent of military suicides in 2024 were directly connected to combat operations in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and Lebanon. Cases of depression, severe stress, and domestic violence have also increased rapidly since October 2023.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog recently acknowledged the growing crisis during a public event. Referring to attacks by illegal settlers against Palestinians and incidents targeting Christians in the occupied West Bank, he described the trend as dangerous and warned that such behavior was gradually spreading throughout Israeli society.

Former Israeli soldier and psychologist Toli Flint told Al Jazeera that the October 7 attacks completely shattered Israelis’ sense of security. He said the events broke the confidence Israelis once had in their military superiority and caused many citizens to lose trust in their government and institutions.

A survey conducted by Israeli news website N12 found that many voters aged 18 to 21 believe the October 7 attack was the result of internal betrayal. The same generation has also emerged as the most religious and right-wing generation in Israel’s history.

Some experts argue that violence and fear in Israeli society did not begin after October 7 but are rooted in the foundations of the Israeli state itself.

Israeli sociologist Yehouda Shenhav Shaharbani stated that Israeli society was shaped from the beginning by elements of violence, while recent events have intensified these trends and strengthened the idea of a new beginning.

According to Shaharbani, fascist tendencies had always existed within Israeli society, but liberal groups previously concealed them. He said the recent war has removed that cover and exposed what he described as the fascist face of Zionism more clearly than before.

Tel Aviv University professor Zahava Solomon, who has researched collective trauma for four decades, said that historical traumas created a mindset within Israeli society of constantly seeing itself as a victim.

She added that this mentality has had devastating consequences for Palestinians, though it is still too early to predict how the current mental health crisis will affect Israel’s future.

Psychologist Toli Flint said complete recovery from this collective trauma may not be possible. He explained that the situation can only improve through a long process of rehabilitation because once people experience such trauma, they never fully return to the way they were before.