Day 500 of the war: IDF casualties by the numbers

Since October 7th, 2023, 894 members of the security forces, including soldiers, police officers, and members of intelligence agencies, have been killed in combat.

By World Israel News Staff

Thousands of Israeli security personnel are grappling with physical and mental injuries sustained in the ongoing war, according to a new report from Hebrew-language outlet Ma’ariv.

The report, which leveraged data obtained from the Israeli army and the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department, revealed the staggering toll of the fighting, which began with Hamas’ October 7th, 2023, terror onslaught.

Since that day, 894 members of the security forces, including soldiers, police officers, and members of intelligence agencies, have been killed in combat.

Approximately 15,000 have been wounded, with that number including both those physically injured and suffering from debilitating mental issues.

According to the report, some 8,600 were wounded physically, and 7,600 are facing psychological challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

The statistics indicated that there is a significant number of security forces who sustained both physical and mental injuries simultaneously.

Notably, 66 percent of those wounded in combat are reserve soldiers, compared to 17 percent being combat soldiers performing their mandatory service.

Ten percent of those wounded were police officers, many of whom sprang into action on October 7th with little training or arms relevant for the scale of the battles.

Half of those wounded were between the ages of 18 and 29, with an additional 30 percent aged between 30 and 39.

The remaining 20 percent of casualties were age 40 and older.

A recent report from the State Comptroller warned that Israel must do more to support traumatized soldiers and civilians, who are also facing mental health challenges after some 15 months of war.

The government “has not done enough to address the anticipated mental health challenges,” the report states, adding that “no fewer than 3 million Israelis may develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD as a result of the war.”