Children’s psychiatric emergency visits in Israel have increased by 121 per cent, while mental health challenges and suicide risks among soldiers continue to raise concerns.
Three years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, the psychological effects of prolonged conflict continue to affect Israeli society, with rising mental health challenges among children, adults and military personnel.
Experts say the repeated exposure to violence, missile attacks, displacement and bereavement has contributed to increased cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and difficulties with everyday activities.
About 1,200 people were killed during the October 7 attacks on Israeli communities and military outposts in southern Israel. Since then, Israel’s military assault on Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to figures cited by Al Jazeera.
A United Nations commission of inquiry has concluded that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a finding that Israel has rejected.
Despite the continued functioning of Israeli society, experts say the prolonged conflict has placed significant psychological pressure on the population.
Mental Health Challenges on the Rise
Research conducted by Clalit Health Services’ Research Institute and the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute found that one in five Israelis experiences severe difficulties with daily functioning because of mental health problems.
The National Mental Health Barometer also found that approximately one-third of Israelis believed they needed mental health treatment. Meanwhile, half of those surveyed said their leisure activities had been affected, while 35 per cent reported difficulties establishing and maintaining close relationships.
Separate research by Clalit Health Services found that psychiatric emergency visits among children and adolescents increased by 121 per cent compared with the period before the war.
The findings highlight the growing psychological burden on families dealing with bereavement, insecurity and uncertainty about the future.
Family Struggles Following Suicide
Irit Ben Arye, an Israeli woman whose husband, Haim Ben Arye, died by suicide after helping evacuate survivors from Kibbutz Be’eri following the October 7 attacks, described the devastating effects of the conflict on her family.
According to her account, her 52-year-old husband returned home in tears after the rescue operation. He died by suicide approximately two weeks later.
The couple had been married for 30 years and had eight children. Ben Arye said she remained concerned about the long-term emotional consequences for their children.
She encouraged them to seek help whenever they experienced emotional pain, loneliness or distress, stressing the importance of communicating their feelings rather than suffering in silence.
Her family's experience reflects the wider mental health challenges facing Israelis since the war began.
Children Growing Up Amid Constant Fear
Israel's attacks on Iran and subsequent missile strikes have added to the insecurity experienced by civilians, disrupting everyday activities and forcing families to consider the possibility of further attacks.
Eric Vermetten, a professor of psychiatry at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, said repeated exposure to danger could result in long-lasting psychological problems.
He explained that constant attacks, warning sirens and displacement could turn ordinary decisions, such as sending children to school or planning the following day, into concerns about personal safety.
According to Vermetten, prolonged vigilance can cause sleep disturbances, poor concentration, anxiety, irritability and strained relationships.
Edgar Jones, a professor at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, said individuals respond differently to prolonged conflict.
While some develop coping mechanisms, others may experience post-traumatic stress or depression after losing relatives or seeing their homes destroyed.
Jones warned that continued disruption and threats to daily life could leave many people emotionally exhausted.
Suicide Risks Among Israeli Soldiers
The psychological consequences of the prolonged war have also affected Israeli military personnel, including reservists and young soldiers deployed to Gaza.
Vermetten said reservists who repeatedly move between military operations and civilian life may have little time to process their experiences or reconnect with their families before returning to duty.
Such experiences can involve grief, guilt, shame, anger and despair.
Jones also highlighted the possibility of what psychologists call moral injury, which occurs when individuals feel that their actions or failures conflict with their personal values.
He said such experiences could lead to feelings of guilt, shame and anger directed at themselves.
Data presented to the Israeli parliament recorded 279 suicide attempts among serving soldiers between January 2024 and July 2025.
Combat soldiers accounted for 78 per cent of military suicide deaths recorded in 2024. The figures did not include veterans who died by suicide after leaving military service.
Vermetten cautioned that suicide should not be considered an inevitable consequence of war, although conflict, loss and isolation could increase vulnerability among affected individuals.
Psychological Impact Spreads Across the Region
The mental health consequences of the conflict extend beyond Israel, affecting millions of people across Gaza and Lebanon.
In Lebanon, UNICEF estimated that approximately 770,000 children had experienced psychological distress. Nearly two-thirds of households surveyed also reported that their children were anxious or nervous.
The situation has been compounded by years of economic difficulties, leaving many families struggling to meet basic needs while supporting their children's emotional well-being.
In Gaza, widespread destruction and displacement have severely undermined the conditions needed for psychological recovery, with homes and healthcare facilities destroyed across the territory.
UNICEF estimates that more than one million children in Gaza need mental health and psychosocial support.
Many families continue to face hunger, displacement and insecurity amid military attacks that, according to Al Jazeera's report, have continued despite a ceasefire announced in October 2025.
Jonathan Crickx, UNICEF's chief of communication in the State of Palestine, said in February that the psychological effects of trauma do not end when the bombing stops.
The findings underline how prolonged conflict can leave lasting emotional scars on children and adults, even after immediate threats diminish.Source: Al Jazeera, October 9, 2026.
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