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State of trauma: Israel wrestles with mental aftershocks of war

As Israel's multifront war enters its third year, demand for mental health treatment has surged by 240% over two years, and reports indicate rising PTSD among soldiers and growing societal violence. Healthcare providers are expanding services, but experts warn of long-term psychological damage and gaps in care.

By Tertius News AI Desk 2 outlets · 2 articles Version 1 Coverage May 18–29, 2026 Published Aug 13

Coverage Comparison

Two years into a multifront conflict, Israel is confronting a growing mental health crisis that is straining its healthcare system and reshaping society. Reports from Israeli medical providers, government officials, and regional analysts paint a consistent picture of mounting psychological distress, even as they differ on the causes and the scale of the problem.

The Jerusalem Post, focusing on the healthcare system's response, reported that demand for mental health treatment in Israel has risen by approximately 240% over the past two years, according to Clalit Health Services, the country's largest healthcare provider. In a statement issued during a Knesset Health Committee visit to Clalit-Beilinson Hospital, officials said the surge reflects the "mounting psychological toll of the war and prolonged national trauma."

Al Jazeera, with a more critical lens, cited a survey by Maccabi Healthcare Services indicating that about one-third of Israelis believe they need professional mental health support. The outlet also reported figures from Israel's Defence Ministry showing a near-40% rise in PTSD cases among soldiers since September 2023, with a projected 180% increase by 2028.

Both outlets agree on the fundamental problem: the war has deeply affected Israeli society. But they diverge on the context. Al Jazeera frames the trauma within a broader narrative of Israel's military actions, including its campaign in Gaza and strikes on Iran, Lebanon, and Syria, while the Jerusalem Post focuses on the domestic response and the strains on the health system.

Key Claims

Demand for mental health treatment has increased by approximately 240% over two years, per Clalit Health Services (reported by the Jerusalem Post).
About one-third of Israelis believe they need professional mental health support, according to a survey by Maccabi Healthcare Services (reported by Al Jazeera).
The number of PTSD cases among Israeli soldiers has risen by nearly 40% since September 2023, with an expected further increase (reported by Al Jazeera, citing the Defence Ministry).
Clalit has recruited 290 new mental health professionals and expanded 40 clinics nationwide (reported by the Jerusalem Post).
Suicides have increased across Israeli society, especially among the military, with 78% of military suicides in 2024 linked to combat operations (reported by Al Jazeera, citing the Jerusalem Post).
Domestic violence and depression have spiked since the war began (reported by Al Jazeera, citing multiple studies and officials).
Israel's President Isaac Herzog has publicly acknowledged an increase in violence across Israeli society (reported by multiple outlets).

Perspectives

Healthcare system perspective

Israel's medical establishment is on the front lines of the mental health surge. Clalit, which serves more than half of the population, has expanded its mental health workforce and infrastructure. The Knesset Health Committee, during its recent visit to Clalit-Beilinson Hospital, discussed wartime preparedness and the need for additional government investment in mental health services, telemedicine, and home hospitalization, particularly in peripheral regions. Clalit's CEO, Prof. Eytan Wirtheim, emphasized that hospitals must now prepare for the realities of prolonged conflict, including missile fire and the need to maintain psychiatric care under emergency conditions.

"We are seeing an unprecedented demand," said MK Yonatan Mashriki, chair of the Health Committee, who pledged to push for more funding. "The system is adapting, but there are limits."

Social and psychological impact

The mental health crisis extends beyond clinical statistics. Al Jazeera reports a rise in domestic violence and stress-related conditions, with President Herzog acknowledging the "increase in violence across Israeli society." The outlet also cites data showing a sharp rise in suicides, particularly among soldiers, with 78% of military suicides in 2024 linked to combat in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera argue that the trauma is not merely a byproduct but a shaping force on Israeli society, affecting everything from politics to daily life.

Political and international context

The two outlets diverge sharply on the causes. Al Jazeera attributes the societal trauma to Israel's military actions, describing the situation in strong terms, including accusations of "genocide" and "brutalisation" in Gaza. It also notes that the government has not published data on soldiers discharged for mental health reasons, despite a legal obligation. The Jerusalem Post, by contrast, emphasizes the war as a defensive necessity and the trauma as a result of "prolonged national trauma" from attacks like the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault.

Follow-up

As the war continues, the long-term mental health costs will likely grow. The projected rise in PTSD among soldiers, combined with rising demand for civilian care, poses significant challenges for Israel's health system. Experts call for expanded services, better data transparency, and attention to marginalized groups, but the path forward remains unclear amid ongoing conflict.

How each outlet told it

Al Jazeera as of May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC

Framing: Trauma and violence in Israeli society — Critical and analytical

Facts Included:

About one-third of Israelis believe they need professional mental health support
A near-40 percent rise in PTSD cases among Israeli soldiers since September 2023
The number of suicides has sharply increased across society as a whole, but particularly among the military
Incidents of domestic violence and mental health conditions such as depression and stress have spiked since the start of the war
Israel's President Isaac Herzog referred to the increase in violence across Israeli society

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Jerusalem Post as of May 18, 2026, 12:31 PM UTC

Framing: Rise in mental health treatment demand in Israel — Informative and objective

Facts Included:

Demand for mental health treatment in Israel has risen by approximately 240% over the past two years
Clalit Health Services recruited 290 new mental health professionals since the start of the war
Clalit expanded 40 mental health clinics across the country
The Knesset Health Committee visited Clalit-Beilinson Hospital to discuss the pressures facing Israel's medical system
A dedicated mental health emergency response unit was established by Magen David Adom and Israel's Health Ministry

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimDemand for mental health treatment in Israel has risen by approximately 240% over the past two years.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of May 18, 2026, 12:31 PM UTC
ClaimClalit Health Services recruited 290 new mental health professionals since the start of the war and expanded 40 mental health clinics across the country.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of May 18, 2026, 12:31 PM UTC
ClaimThe Knesset Health Committee visited Clalit-Beilinson Hospital to discuss the pressures facing Israel's medical system.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of May 18, 2026, 12:31 PM UTC
ClaimA dedicated mental health emergency response unit was established by Magen David Adom and Israel's Health Ministry.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source quoted from Jerusalem Post as of May 18, 2026, 12:31 PM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimAbout one-third of Israelis believe they need professional mental health support.	ConfidenceMedium	StatusSingle-source via Al Jazeera as of May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC
ClaimThere has been a near-40 percent rise in PTSD cases among Israeli soldiers since September 2023.	ConfidenceMedium	StatusSingle-source via Al Jazeera as of May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC
ClaimThe number of suicides has sharply increased across society as a whole, but particularly among the military.	ConfidenceMedium	StatusMulti-source quoted from Al Jazeera as of May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimIncidents of domestic violence and mental health conditions such as depression and stress have spiked since the start of the war.	ConfidenceMedium	StatusMulti-source quoted from Al Jazeera as of May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimIsrael's President Isaac Herzog referred to the increase in violence across Israeli society.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source quoted from Al Jazeera as of May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC the outlets behind this status were not recorded for this claim
ClaimA poll suggested that 46% of first-time Jewish Israeli voters believe that October 7 was caused through a 'betrayal from within'.	ConfidenceLow	StatusSingle-source via Al Jazeera as of May 29, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

2 outlets · 2 articles consulted: Al Jazeera, Jerusalem Post 10 claims extracted Version 1 Written 2026-08-13