Israel Defense Ministry Projects 100,000 Wounded Needing Rehabilitation by 2028
Translated & summarized from Mignews by baba
Israel's Ministry of Defense anticipates that the number of individuals requiring rehabilitation due to injuries sustained since October 7, 2023, will rise to approximately 100,000 by 2028. The ministry has significantly increased its staff and facilities for mental and physical rehabilitation and expanded its budget to support these efforts.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's Defense Ministry expects 100,000 wounded needing rehabilitation by 2028.
- Currently, 91,200 individuals are receiving assistance from the Rehabilitation Division.
- Nearly half of the injured suffer from mental health disorders.
- The ministry has quadrupled mental health staff and tripled rehabilitation centers.
- The rehabilitation budget has grown by 88% to 10 billion shekels.
- Efforts include funding education and employment for veterans.
Israel's Ministry of Defense has provided rehabilitation services to approximately 30,000 soldiers and security personnel injured since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The ministry announced on Tuesday, October 6, that the total number of individuals undergoing rehabilitation could reach around 100,000 by 2028. Currently, the ministry's Rehabilitation Division is assisting 91,200 people affected by military operations. About 46% of these individuals suffer from mental health disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Among those wounded since the conflict began, approximately 63% have experienced psychological trauma, while 37% sustained physical injuries. Furthermore, 47% of the injured are under 30 years old, 8% are women, and 62% are reservists.
To enhance the quality of care, the ministry has quadrupled its mental health specialist staff to about 4,000 and tripled the number of rehabilitation centers. The government is also implementing recommendations from a public committee to transform the Rehabilitation Division into a separate authority and streamline the disability recognition process. Over the past three years, the division's budget has increased by 88%, reaching 10 billion shekels, with a significant portion allocated to psychiatric care and trauma support. The ministry is also actively assisting wounded veterans in returning to education and employment, having funded higher education for over 2,400 individuals since the war's start.
In related news, Defense Minister Katz ordered increased readiness in the Gaza Strip, and the IDF neutralized an underground tunnel in Gaza. Memorials for fallen hostages will be established in military cemeteries, and the Israeli Embassy in the US held an October 7 commemoration ceremony. Former General Solomon claimed Egyptian intelligence has ties to Hamas, and the IDF removed a monument to terrorists at Birzeit University. The Israeli military also eliminated a Nukhba unit commander.
