Israel Marks 1,000 Days of War with Over 26,000 Wounded Receiving Treatment

Israel has reached 1,000 days since the outbreak of war on Simchat Torah 5784, a date deeply etched in Jewish memory. The Ministry of Defense recently disclosed staggering figures regarding the number of wounded across all fronts. The total number of security forces wounded in all conflicts is expected to exceed 90,000 treated patients by 2026, marking a sharp increase of over 40% in just three years. Official estimates from the Defense Ministry's Rehabilitation Department predict this upward trend will continue, reaching approximately 100,000 treated wounded by 2028, with about 50,000 suffering from various mental health issues.

Specifically, since the current war began, around 26,200 wounded individuals have sought treatment from the Rehabilitation Department. Of these, approximately 65%, about 17,000 patients, are dealing with psychological distress, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Around 7,700 of these also have physical injuries of varying severity. Additionally, about 9,000 patients suffer physical injuries alone, including 97 cases involving limb amputations. The data shows that 62% of the wounded are reservists, 21% are in mandatory service, 10% serve in the Israel Police, and 7% are career soldiers. Men constitute 92% of the wounded, women 8%, with nearly half under the age of 30.

Given the unprecedented scale of casualties, the Ministry of Defense warns that the national rehabilitation system for wounded soldiers is at risk of collapse under the heavy burden. It stresses the urgent need to fund and implement the recommendations of a public expert committee led by Professor Shlomo Mor Yosef. This committee, appointed by the defense and finance ministers, recently submitted a comprehensive action plan. Amir Baram, Director General of the Ministry of Defense and a retired general, emphasized at a Disabled IDF Veterans Organization conference that implementing these recommendations is not optional but a national duty. He noted that both the defense and finance ministers support the plan, but success will be judged by execution rather than statements.

Despite expanding existing treatment services, the current and projected number of wounded necessitates a much broader national response. Since the war began, the Rehabilitation Department has quadrupled its mental health staff to about 4,000 therapists, tripled the number of therapeutic residential facilities, established nine rehabilitation farms nationwide, launched a mobile mental health crisis unit, and opened a dedicated nursing ward for young wounded patients.