Killings, Suicides, and Trauma: How ‘Operation al-Aqsa Flood’ Devastated Israelis Psychology

On July 16, 2024, a video reminiscent of a horror film went viral on social media, showing an Israeli woman with flowing hair, barefoot, and covered in blood, wandering the streets with an ax and attacking passersby.

Upon reaching a shopping center in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, she attempted to assault a security guard, who managed to disarm her despite sustaining injuries.

Hebrew media reported that the police arrested the woman and then proceeded to her apartment, where they discovered a horrific scene: the body of a young boy, her son, whom she had killed with the ax.

Initial information suggested that the Israeli woman was psychologically disturbed and had been fleeing from the Nova music festival in the Rishon LeTsiyon settlement on October 7, 2023.

The festival was held during Hamas' Operation al-Aqsa Flood, which led to Israeli airstrikes that killed settlers in the area.

Further reports revealed that the woman's husband was a reservist in the Israeli army, currently fighting in the Gaza Strip.

This incident highlighted the profound trauma and suffering experienced by Israelis due to the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, underscoring the resilience of Gaza and its resistance despite the harshness of the assault and the high number of casualties.

Tsunami Gaza

Since the onset of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, reports from the Israeli Mental Health Association have revealed a significant increase in cases of depression, trauma, and anxiety among Israelis.

This rise in mental health issues has coincided with an unprecedented demand for medications, particularly sleep aids.

Israeli psychiatrists have reported recurring symptoms among many patients, including persistent nightmares and dreams featuring dark, narrow tunnels and sensations of heaviness and suffocation, or armored military vehicles with armed, masked individuals, suggesting abduction or captivity.

On February 3, 2024, The Marker Hebrew site described the large influx of settlers seeking psychiatric care as a "tsunami," highlighting the surge in symptoms like eating disorders since the aggression on Gaza began.

Israel Hayom newspaper also reported an increase in psychological symptoms among Israelis, noting that the mental health system is struggling to accommodate the high volume of patients.

Estimates suggest that 20 to 30 percent of Israelis may live with these psychological scars for the rest of their lives, with no resolution in sight.

Panic Attacks

In the same vein, a report from Clalit Health Services, the Israeli Occupation’s largest healthcare provider, revealed an 11 percent increase in psychiatric prescriptions among Israelis following the Israeli war on Gaza.

On December 3, 2023, Clalit noted that the surge was most evident in prescriptions for antidepressants, panic attacks, and anxiety.

The report specifically mentioned the excessive use of medications such as citalopram, sertraline, and fluoxetine, all selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), as well as benzodiazepines like alprazolam and clonazepam.

On November 26, 2023, Haaretz addressed similar issues, describing the situation as psychological torture and noting that Israelis are divided nightly between those crying on the couch and those consoling them, with roles reversing the next night.

Suicide and Insanity

In early January 2024, a group of mental health hospital directors in Tel Aviv sent an urgent message to the Inspection Authority, calling for a state of emergency due to a significant deterioration in mental health among Israelis, attributed to the spread of mental illnesses.

The message projected that the events of October 7 would add 300,000 new patients in need of psychological treatment.

It also highlighted concerns about returning soldiers from Gaza, with unknown numbers likely to face psychological issues.

The message explicitly warned of the potential consequences, stating: "Please use your power and authority to protect the mental health of Israeli citizens."

On December 30, 2023, the Hebrew site Ynet reported a rise in cases of insanity and suicide in the post-war period, emphasizing the high human cost of the Gaza war, both in physical casualties and future psychological impact, particularly among injured soldiers.

The site noted that since the onset of Operation al-Aqsa Flood, over 2,800 soldiers have been referred to the Ministry of Defense's rehabilitation department, with 3 percent of the injured in critical condition and 18 percent suffering from mental health issues due to post-traumatic stress.

Defeated Army

On December 4, 2023, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation KAN reported that approximately 2,000 soldiers from the Israeli army were classified as injured or affected since the start of Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Among these, 200 soldiers were affected during the first three weeks of the ground invasion, necessitating psychiatric evaluations for all of them.

The authority defined an affected soldier as someone who has experienced events like gunfire, confrontation, injury, or witnessed severe injuries and distressing scenes, resulting in a decline in performance.

It added that the damage might manifest in various functional responses, such as withdrawal, silence, anxiety, or ongoing emotional distress.

As part of the military's response and psychological care protocol, the authority emphasized the importance of reintegrating affected soldiers into active duty as soon as possible.

Since October 7, the army has established two mental health centers and a helpline staffed by psychologists and psychiatrists on reserve duty.

In this context, Haaretz reported on October 22, 2023, that one expert criticized the Israeli army for not implementing effective measures to prevent trauma, relying instead on soldiers to seek help themselves.

The report warned that many Israeli soldiers might struggle to return to service without effective emotional support.

Currently, soldiers are participating in group discussions with therapists, expressing their fears and lack of motivation to continue fighting in Gaza.

Stories and Nightmares

Israeli mental health experts report that soldiers returning from Gaza may face a range of complex psychological effects. These include anxiety, depression, confusion, and grief, often exacerbated by witnessing the deaths of comrades or being severely injured themselves due to explosions and ambushes in unfamiliar neighborhoods.

On November 4, 2023, the Jerusalem Post cited a medical report indicating that one in four soldiers has utilized the army's mental health services, meeting with either a psychiatrist or a mental health officer.

Reports suggest that “Israel” is attempting to downplay the increasing negative phenomena among those involved in the Gaza invasion, citing concerns about the army's reputation and prestige.

Colonel Lucian Tatsa-Laur, the head of military mental health, stated that mental health officials are now being deployed to the field to support military personnel. He told the Jerusalem Post that the system does not understand these returning soldiers who come back with stories and nightmares.

On February 3, 2024, The Lancet published a study revealing that all Israelis have been affected by the unprecedented scope and severity of the psychological trauma from Operation al-Aqsa Flood. The study highlighted severe psychological distress, with an increase in symptoms and depression cases.

Since Hamas's attack, calls to the emergency mental health line have doubled. The study also identified extensive "vulnerable circles," including emergency responders, police, families of casualties, and prisoners.

The study referenced Israeli Health Ministry Director Moshe Bar Siman Tov's statement that, of the estimated 9.7 million population, 100,000 individuals have experienced incidents likely to cause ongoing psychological trauma.