An Israeli trooper is seen in front of an armored vehicle near the occupied Palestinian territories’ border with the Gaza Strip. (File photo by AFP)
Tel Aviv, July 21 (RHC)-- An Israeli paratrooper in training who attempted suicide last week has succumbed to his injuries as the Israeli army faces an alarming rise in suicides amid ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army confirmed in a statement that Corporal Dan Phillipson, a lone soldier from Norway, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday. Earlier, Phillipson was found with the wound at a training base in the southern region of the occupied territories. He was taken to a hospital, where despite intensive medical treatment, he did not survive.
This incident marks the fourth suicide among Israeli soldiers in the past two weeks. In recent months, nearly four dozen soldiers have taken their own lives, driven by profound psychological trauma and exposure to violence amidst ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Efforts by the Israeli army to censor reports of suicides and their contexts have been met with continued evidence of an alarming increase in these cases. There are reports that some soldiers have been buried without military funerals or public announcements in an attempt to conceal the extent of the crisis.
Additionally, a growing manpower shortage has led the Israeli army to recall soldiers previously diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Critics argue that the regime is redeploying soldiers to combat zones where there have already been multiple confrontations.
With Israel's war in Gaza entering its 21st month, soldiers increasingly report experiences of war trauma, family issues, and psychological distress.
Israeli media have highlighted the struggles faced by returning soldiers grappling with trauma and the risk of suicide, bringing attention to the serious realities of PTSD among Israeli troops.
The reports highlighted a deeper mental health crisis within the Israeli army, revealing that “thousands of soldiers” have sought assistance from military mental health clinics or field psychologists. It also suggested that the actual number of suicides may be even “higher” than reported.
Reportedly, one-third of affected soldiers are displaying symptoms of PTSD, indicating that psychological trauma among Israeli troops could surpass the physical injuries sustained during the war.
A senior Israeli military commander recently said that the Israeli public was being “fed lies” about the progress made against Hamas, warning that the Palestinian resistance movement will not be defeated for years.
In an interview with Ynet published on Friday, the unnamed officer said Hamas still maintains “massive infrastructure” in Gaza and that the fight against the resistance group is far from over. Also on Friday, Hamas declared its full readiness to engage in a prolonged battle of attrition against Israel.
Abu Obeida, spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, warned that if Israel chooses to persist in the “war of extermination,” it will face increasing funerals for its soldiers and officers.
[ SOURCE: PRESS TV and NEWS AGENCIES ]
