Defense Ministry: 12,000 soldiers have entered rehab programs since start of war

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF troops are seen operating in Gaza in an image cleared for publication by the military on October 18, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF troops are seen operating in Gaza in an image cleared for publication by the military on October 18, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

The Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department says it has received some 12,000 soldiers since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, including those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

According to the Defense Ministry, some 5,200, or 43% of those received by the rehab centers amid the war are suffering from PTSD.

Some 14% are defined as having moderate to severe injuries, including 23 with severe head injuries, 60 amputees, and 12 who lost their eyesight.

Among the 12,000 soldiers, around 66% are reservists.

The ministry says that some 1,500 soldiers have been wounded twice in the war, meaning they returned to service after being treated by the rehab department and were wounded a second time.

The rehab department is also working with some 62,000 wounded veterans from previous wars. It forecasts that by 2030, the center will be treating some 100,000 people, at least half of them suffering from PTSD.

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