The toll of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza continues to climb, reaching 129 since the start of the Israeli ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave and 461 since Hamas’ assault on October 7. However, a significant number of wounded soldiers are receiving treatment in Israeli hospitals.
As of October 7, nearly 11,000 people have been injured, with around 6,150 members of the security forces, soldiers, and police among them. Over 2,000 have been recognized as permanently disabled. While the majority sustained injuries on the Gaza front, particularly on October 7 and since the onset of the ground incursion, many were wounded on the northern border due to Hezbollah fire and anti-Israeli attacks in the West Bank. These figures are likely to rise in the coming weeks and months, as many observers agree that the war is far from over.
Data from the Israeli Ministry of Health presented to the Knesset reveals that Israel is grappling with the sheer number of injured soldiers and civilians. A significant challenge is the mobilization of medical personnel, with doctors, nurses, and paramedics deployed to provide initial aid as part of the military health service.
Frontline clinics have been set up, but the majority of the injured are transported from the Palestinian enclave by the elite 669 unit, primarily tasked with evacuating wounded soldiers in combat conditions. Israel’s major hospitals can double their functional capacity in emergencies, transforming underground parking lots into treatment rooms and operating theaters. However, staffing shortages persist, even in peacetime.
Beyond the frontlines, there’s the rehabilitation process for severely injured soldiers and the long-term impacts of war, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Israel has experience dealing with PTSD from previous conflicts, with tens of thousands of Israelis affected. The families of hostages held in Gaza and those released face psychological monitoring.
Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about the risk of epidemics in the Gaza Strip, potentially affecting Israeli soldiers. Numerous cases of resistant bacteria and infections have already been identified among soldiers injured in the Palestinian enclave. The war’s aftermath poses not only physical but also mental and public health challenges for Israel.