The Israeli Defense Ministry reported earlier in December that more than 6,000 Israeli forces have been wounded since the beginning of the ongoing war with Hamas terrorist organization on Oct. 7, when terrorists invaded southern Israel and massacred more than 1,200 Israelis.
The wounded include IDF soldiers, police officers and members of the Jewish state’s various security agencies, such as Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency. The growing number of injured troops have led to more pressure on the already strained Israeli health system.
Igor Tudoran, 27, is one of the thousands of IDF troops injured during battles against Hamas terrorists in Gaza. He was badly wounded in his leg when an enemy missile hit his tank shortly after entering the coastal enclave.
“Even while I was still in the tank, I understood from the condition of my leg that I would lose it. But the question was, how much of it I would lose?” Tudoran told the AP, who eventually lost his right leg below the hip.
Despite his severe injury, Tudoran maintains optimistic about the future while realizing his dream to eventually become an electrician is likely no longer realistic due to his limited mobility.
IDF soldier Ben Hamou also lost his leg during recent battles in Gaza and is now confined to a wheelchair. He still has ambitions to attend a military commanders’ course.
“I’m not ashamed of the wound,” Hamou said. “I was wounded for the country in a war inside Gaza. I am proud,” he emphasized.
In addition to dealing with a growing number of physical injuries caused by the Israel-Hamas war, the Israeli public continues to face numerous cases of trauma among its returning soldiers – trauma that needs to be addressed.
Edan Kleiman, the head of the NGO Disabled Veterans Organization that represents disabled military veterans, said there are many soldiers who have yet to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“I have never seen a scope like this and an intensity like this,” Kleiman stated. “We must rehabilitate these people.”
Kleiman said he doesn't think that authorities are aware of the magnitude of the health-related challenges there will be once the war is over. He estimates that the final number of Israeli war injuries could reach some 20,000, including soldiers with PTSD.
Yagil Levy, a teacher who specializes in civil-military relations at the Open University of Israel, warned that the effect of the Hamas war could have long-term consequences for Israeli society.
“There could be a long-term impact if we see a large amount of people with disabilities that Israel must rehabilitate, which can produce economic issues as well as social issues,” Levy assessed.
Read the full article at All Israel News.