Israeli Army Suicide Rates Reach Decade High in 2025
According to Israeli sources, 2025 has been recorded as the deadliest year for soldier suicides in the Israeli army over the past decade. The statistics reveal that 22 soldiers took their own lives this year, marking the highest figure since 2015.
The Palestinian Information Center reports that the last time suicide numbers reached this level was in 2015 when 28 soldiers died by suicide. In the decade prior to the Gaza war, the average annual suicide rate in the Israeli army was around 12.
Details of the data show that in 2025, one active-duty soldier, nine reservists, and twelve conscripted soldiers died by suicide. By unit type, twelve were from combat units, five from support units, and five from non-combat units.
Additionally, fourteen of these suicides occurred outside military bases, while eight happened within the bases. According to the same report, five of the soldiers had previously been treated in the army’s psychiatric care units.
These figures point to a concerning rise in suicide rates within the Israeli military. Over the past three decades, annual suicides have ranged between 50 and 70 cases. Between 2005 and 2011, the annual number was between 26 and 28. This declined to 16 in 2017 but rose back to nine in 2018. From October 7, 2023, until the end of that year, seven soldiers committed suicide, with the numbers increasing to 21 in 2024 and 22 in 2025 respectively.
