On Tuesday night, December 16, 2025, an Israeli soldier took his own life at a military base in northern Israel, marking another grim statistic in a growing crisis that has shaken the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. According to Haaretz, this latest suicide brings the total number of Israeli soldiers who have died by suicide since the conflict began to 61. The soldier, who was serving on the base, suffered critical injuries after shooting himself and was pronounced dead later that evening at the hospital, as reported by Anadolu and confirmed by military officials. The IDF has launched a formal investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
This tragedy is just the latest in a series of alarming events highlighting a deepening mental health crisis within the Israeli military. The Knesset Research and Information Center reported that from the start of 2024 to July 2025, there were 279 suicide attempts among Israeli soldiers. That translates to roughly one suicide for every seven attempts—an unsettling ratio that underscores the gravity of the situation. Of these, 48 soldiers have taken their own lives during active military service since the war began, while 13 others have died by suicide outside of military duty due to psychological issues, including six since the start of 2025. In 2024 alone, 20 soldiers died by suicide, with another 16 succumbing from January through July 2025. At least four additional suicides have occurred since then, according to Haaretz.
Behind these numbers are stories of young men and women facing unimaginable stress, trauma, and loss. The psychological toll of the Gaza conflict has been staggering. As of late July 2025, nearly 10,000 Israeli soldiers—out of 19,000 wounded in Gaza—have been diagnosed with psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These soldiers are currently receiving treatment from the Ministry of Defense’s Rehabilitation Department, as reported by Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
In October, the IDF’s Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, publicly acknowledged the worsening mental health crisis among Israeli troops. He called on commanders to remain alert, urging them to detect early signs of psychological distress within their units and ensure that soldiers seek help as soon as possible. "Thousands of soldiers have received psychological treatment," Zamir stated, emphasizing the need for vigilance and timely intervention.
But even as Israeli society grapples with the internal costs of war, the conflict’s devastation continues unabated in Gaza. Medical sources cited by WAFA confirmed that, as of December 16, 2025, the death toll in Gaza since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023, has reached 70,667 people, the vast majority of whom are children and women. The number of injured stands at 171,151. Since the ceasefire agreement signed on October 11, 2023, there have been 393 additional deaths and 1,074 injuries, with 634 bodies recovered.
While the human cost mounts on both sides, political leaders and military officials are locked in complex negotiations over the future of the ceasefire and the fate of remaining hostages. This week, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered two high-profile speeches, taking credit for brokering the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and claiming responsibility for the return of all Israeli hostages—both living and deceased. “We got back all of the hostages, and all of the dead young people that were dead,” Trump declared, according to ynet. He also asserted, “We have legitimate peace in the Middle East and we have 59 countries backing it.”
Yet, the facts on the ground tell a more complicated story. Despite the terms of the late October 2023 ceasefire agreement—which required Hamas to return all hostages within 72 hours—the body of Ran Gvili, an officer in Israel Police’s Yasam special patrol unit, remains in Gaza. Gvili was killed and abducted during fighting at Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023, and has now been held in Gaza for 804 days as of December 18, 2025.
Israeli officials have repeatedly emphasized that the return of Gvili is not merely a tactical issue but a matter of principle, directly impacting the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. “Over the past two weeks, Israeli officials have repeatedly emphasized that returning Gvili is not a tactical matter. His return has direct implications for the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,” a senior Israeli source told ynet. The same source stressed Israel’s commitment to the Sharm el-Sheikh framework, which requires "100% effort" to return all hostages, including those who are deceased.
Efforts to locate Gvili have faced significant challenges. Search operations in Gaza were halted for nearly two weeks due to poor weather and flooding, and as of mid-December 2025, no new searches had been conducted. Israeli officials have shared detailed information—including aerial imagery and identifying details—with mediators in hopes of aiding his recovery. However, terror groups in Gaza have recently claimed they are "unable" to locate Gvili, casting further doubt on the prospects for closure.
The issue has become a sticking point in ongoing talks between Israeli and American officials about moving to the next phase of the ceasefire agreement. While the Trump administration reportedly believes the deal can proceed as long as efforts to locate Gvili continue, Israeli officials insist that no further steps should be taken until he is returned. Gvili’s parents have also remained steadfast, declaring, “We will not move to the second phase of the agreement until Rani comes home and we have closure. Israel is waiting for Rani.”
Western diplomats have expressed uncertainty about whether Hamas is even capable of locating the last hostage. “We all want the last hostage returned, but it’s unclear whether Hamas is capable of locating him,” one diplomat told ynet. “I truly don’t know if there will be a day when everyone says, ‘This is the beginning of Phase B.’ It’s an organic process that will unfold slowly and gradually. The Trump plan for Gaza did not specify when Phase B begins—it’s an American decision.”
Meanwhile, the human toll of war continues to weigh heavily on both Israeli and Palestinian families. The psychological wounds among Israeli soldiers, the ongoing suffering in Gaza, and the unresolved fate of hostages like Ran Gvili all serve as stark reminders that peace remains elusive, and the costs of conflict endure long after the guns fall silent.
