Tel aviv: A total of 279 Israeli soldiers have attempted suicide over the course of 18 months amid Tel Aviv's war on the Gaza Strip, official data showed on Wednesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported a new release by the Knesset Research and Information Center, which revealed data concerning suicide attempts among Israeli soldiers. The data covered the period between January 2024 and July 2025, highlighting that 12% of these attempts were very serious, 88% were moderate, and 36 resulted in death.

The report further stated that 124 Israeli soldiers have died by suicide from 2017 until July 2025. Of these, 68% were serving compulsory military service, 21% were reservists, and 11% were on permanent duty. A significant increase in suicide cases among reservists since 2023 was noted, attributing this rise to an increase in the number of active-duty soldiers since the Gaza war began.

Ofer Cassif, a far-left member of the Knesset, emphasized the urgency of addressing the situation. He remarked, "The suicide epidemic, which is expected to increase with the end of the war, requires establishing real support systems for soldiers, working to end wars, and achieving real peace." Cassif criticized the government's approach, stating that it "sends its soldiers to war and leaves them to face the consequences alone," and he called for the preparation of the report.

The conflict between Israel and Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 68,500 people, most of whom were women and children, and over 170,000 others have been injured since October 2023. The intense hostilities ceased under a ceasefire agreement effective from October 10, following US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan.