Sharp Rise in PTSD Among Israelis in Gaza Rocket Range

“These numbers stem from another terror-ridden summer that saw hundreds of rockets being fired toward the area from the Hamas-controlled enclave,” reports Ynet.

By United with Israel Staff 

A sharp rise in the number of people seeking help for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been reported in southern Israel, where residents have faced constant bombardments of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip over the course of many years, reports the Ynet news website.

PTSD is a mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event which threatens a person’s life, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

“These numbers stem from another terror-ridden summer that saw hundreds of rockets being fired toward the area from the Hamas-controlled enclave, incendiary balloons scorching the local fields, violent March of Return demonstrations along the security fence, as well as several infiltration attempts,” writes Ynet, citing data received by its sister publication Yedioth Ahronoth.

“This summer there have been at least 12 rounds of cross-border fighting between Israel and the Palestinian factions in the Strip,” says Ynet.

Even when residents hope to get a break, they can find themselves running for their lives.

This past Sunday, the news outlet notes, “at least three rockets [were] fired at the southern city of Sderot where some 4,000 people, who were attending a music festival, had been forced to look for shelter in panic.”

It says that as a result of the incident, some 100 people required treatment from mental health professionals at the scene or were hospitalized for shock.

Previous reports have shown that the mental health system in southern Israel is buckling under the pressures of the growing demand. Local officials have urged the national Israeli government to add funding to allow them to treat the increasing numbers of individuals suffering from PTSD.