Thousands of ‘Israeli’ Soldiers Wounded, Disabled in Gaza Fighting

By Staff, Agencies

More than 5,000 ‘Israeli’ occupation soldiers have been wounded in fighting in Gaza since 7 October, while ‘Israeli’ officials are warning of a looming mental health crisis, an ‘Israeli’ newspaper reported on Saturday.

Specialists from the Zionist war ministry said its rehabilitation department had received 60 wounded soldiers every day since the start of the war in Gaza.

Limor Luria, deputy director general and head of the ministry's Rehabilitation Department, told Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that at least 2,000 ‘Israeli’ soldiers had been declared disabled, with health officials "in a hurry to release the wounded so it can admit new patients."

"We have never faced something like this," Luria said, adding that 5,000 soldiers had been wounded since the start of the fighting.

"Who will help them shower or get around the ‘house’? Most of them suffered serious injuries, and the state needs to understand that there is an arena here that requires a new distribution of injuries."

Luria added that nearly 60 percent of the wounded have suffered from severe wounds to their hands and feet, including those who have required amputations.

Around 12 percent of injuries consist of damage to the spleen, kidneys, and rupture of internal organs, the official added.

Luria also warned of a looming mental health crisis that will impact ‘Israeli’ soldiers who come back from Gaza, saying that cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related issues will "skyrocket" in the next few months.

Idan Kaliman, who heads the ‘Israeli’ army's disabled people's organization, echoed Luria's concerns.

"There is a huge mass of wounded here, even before the wave of post-trauma that will wash over us in about a year," Kaliman told Yedioth Ahronoth.

"‘Israel’ has not experienced this level of trauma since our ‘war of independence’. First responders and soldiers have been exposed to horrific sights since the beginning of the war.

"[Disabled] veterans of previous wars say that this is the first time they know of someone who has experienced something more challenging."

At least 420 Zionist soldiers have been killed since 7 October, according to the military.

More than 17,500 people have been martyred, mostly civilians, since the beginning of the ‘Israeli’ war on Gaza.