Hidden toll of war: 25,000 Israelis wounded since October 7

More than 25,000 Israelis wounded since the October 7 Hamas massacre have entered the Defense Ministry’s rehabilitation system, exposing the enormous human cost of Israel’s longest war in decades.

Officials warn the number could soar to 100,000 wounded veterans by 2028, including some 50,000 suffering from psychological trauma. In response, the Defense Ministry has unveiled a comprehensive rehabilitation plan that would expand mental health services, provide dedicated case managers, enhance medical care, and offer increased support to wounded soldiers and their families.

The staggering figures highlight a less visible front of the war, the thousands of soldiers and security personnel carrying physical and emotional scars long after the battles end. Israel is now preparing to invest billions of shekels to meet what officials describe as one of the country’s greatest rehabilitation challenges in its history.