The Rehabilitation Division at the Ministry of Defense is publishing comprehensive data on the number of wounded who have been admitted since the start of the war, ahead of the second anniversary of the Swords of Iron war.
According to the data, more than 20,000 war wounded men and women have joined the Rehabilitation Division since the beginning of the fighting, with about 56% of them dealing with psychological reactions.
In total, the division currently treats about 81,700 wounded from all Israeli services, of whom 31,000 are dealing with mental and post-traumatic stress - about 38% of all patients.
The division notes that every month about 1,000 new wounded from the ongoing war are admitted, as well as about 600 requests for recognition from past events.
The main challenges for the coming years include a severe shortage of manpower - currently one employee is responsible for an average of 750 patients - the need to simplify bureaucracy, renew medical committees, and increase the handling of suicidality.
The data indicate an unprecedented burden on the rehabilitation system. Half of the injured are young people under the age of 30, 92% of whom are men and 64% are reservists. 45% are dealing with physical injuries, 35% with mental injuries and 20% with a combination of the two. Among the injured: 56 are defined as having a disability of 100+, 24 with complete disability, 168 with complex head injuries, 16 paralyzed and 99 amputees who received prostheses adapted for sports activities.
The division notes that approximately 10,700 injured have developed various mental reactions - anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties and post-traumatic stress disorder. About 60% of the injured receive emotional treatment, including through nature rehabilitation farms, support groups, innovative therapies such as EMDR and neurofeedback, and even surfing and sailing activities. The department's emergency teams were called to 251 cases of mental distress this year, and the "One Soul" support center received about 2,000 calls each month - an increase of 53% compared to the previous year.
The Rehabilitation Division’s budget jumped by 53% this year and stands at 8.3 billion shekels, of which 4.1 billion is dedicated to treating mental health patients. At the same time, new responses were established, including "Safe Homes", "Balanced Homes", a dedicated department for IDF wounded and a medical CM service to accompany head injuries, alongside the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence-based psychological diagnosis.
Against the backdrop of the national challenges, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in coordination with the IDF Disabled Organization, announced the establishment of a public committee headed by Prof. Shlomo Mor Yosef, which will examine ways to expand the national response, streamline the recognition of eligibility, strengthen medical and mental rehabilitation, integration into employment, respond to family members and simplify compensation mechanisms.