63% of those wounded during the war are dealing with psychological reactions, while 37% are coping with physical injuries.
By United with Israel Staff
Nearly 30,000 wounded IDF soldiers and members of Israel’s security forces have entered the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department since the outbreak of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, the ministry announced Tuesday, revealing the scale of the physical and psychological toll three years after the Hamas-led massacre.
According to the ministry, 63% of those wounded during the war are dealing with psychological reactions, while 37% are coping with physical injuries.
Nearly half, 47%, of the wounded are under the age of 30, while 62% are reservists and 8% are women.
The figures were released as Israel marks three years since the beginning of what the government officially calls the “War of Revival.”
The Rehabilitation Department now treats approximately 91,200 wounded veterans and security personnel from all of Israel’s wars and conflicts. Of those, approximately 42,500, or 46%, are dealing with mental health conditions and post-traumatic stress.
The department estimates that by 2028, the number of people under its care will reach approximately 100,000, with half expected to require treatment for psychological conditions.
The ministry also released new details about some of the most severely wounded troops from the current war.
Sixty-three are classified as having the most severe level of disability, rated at more than 100%; 249 have complex head injuries; 29 have suffered blindness or permanent visual impairment; and 106 are amputees.
According to the ministry, 95% of the amputees have been fitted with advanced prostheses, including specialized prostheses allowing them to participate in sports, extreme sports and other recreational activities.
The dramatic increase in wounded troops has prompted a major expansion of Israel’s rehabilitation system.
Over the past three years, the Rehabilitation Department’s budget has risen by 88% to NIS 10 billion, with more than 60% devoted to treatment and services for those suffering from psychological trauma and PTSD.
The number of mental health professionals and treatments available through the department has tripled since the beginning of the war to approximately 2,300.
New services include emergency mobile crisis teams that travel to the homes of wounded personnel experiencing psychological distress, rehabilitation farms, community-based alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization and new technologies designed to treat PTSD.
Emergency teams established in January 2024 have been dispatched to more than 500 incidents requiring immediate mental health intervention, according to the ministry.
The Defense Ministry also said approximately 171,000 alternative therapy treatments were used this year, while its “One Soul” mental health support line received approximately 16,500 calls.
Some 470 emotional support dogs are currently assisting those dealing with psychological injuries, with another 330 dogs undergoing training.
The ministry has also expanded educational and employment assistance for wounded personnel. Since the war began, 2,425 wounded soldiers and security personnel have received support and full funding for academic studies or professional training.
Law is the most popular degree among participants, followed by business administration and computer science.
In July, the government adopted recommendations from a public committee headed by Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef aimed at overhauling the country’s treatment of wounded security personnel.
At the center of the reforms is a plan to transform the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department into a “National Authority for the Rehabilitation and Treatment of Wounded IDF Soldiers and Security Forces.”
Other recommendations include assigning a personal contact to every wounded service member, simplifying the process for recognizing injuries and determining disability levels, expanding employment programs and creating specialized long-term facilities for people with severe brain injuries.
The reforms also call for additional services tailored to lone soldiers and wounded female service members.
The Defense Ministry said it has begun implementing the recommendations as Israel’s rehabilitation system prepares to care for tens of thousands of wounded service members for years to come.
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