11 Israel Soldiers Commit Suicide in April

CrossFireArabia
April 27, 2026

Israeli soldiers continue to commit suicide in what is becoming a disturbing phenomenon that is becoming linked to Israel’s war on Gaza since October 2023, and now the war ongoing Lebanon.

The Israeli media have continued to report on what is becoming a rising trend of soldiers taking away their lives in Israeli society.

In its Sunday edition of 26 April the Israeli Haaretz newspaper highlighted the fact that eight Israeli soldiers and police officers committed suicide this month alone. The paper adds that three reservists who took part in the war on Gaza also ended their lives this month, making the total to 11 in less than one month.

The number of suicide rates have been increasing since 2023. Then 17 took away their lives, including seven after the 7 October, when the Israeli genocide on Gaza began. Thus, after that, 21 soldiers ended their lives in 2024 and increasing to 22 in 2025. In between the figures it is estimated that 279 soldiers attemoted suicide but didn’t succeed.

Statistics show in the previous decade the average suicides were 12 per year stabilizing from the 28 cases peak of 2010.

Data reports for 2026 shows that reserve soldiers formed the highest number of suicides, at least five cases as compared to three among conscripts and two cases in the ranks of those who take up soldiering as an occupation.

The Israeli military establishment is finding itself unable to control the suicide phenomenon with those in leadership roles realizing the fact that soldiers who are suffering from psychological distress are not seeking help. Haaretz quotes one officer in human resources as saying the army “thought at the beginning of the war it can control the situation but it later blew in its face”.

Psychological experts say the recent rising suicide rates is to do with the fact Israel has never experienced the present kinds of wars it is presently involved in like Gaza and/or Lebanon. The soldiers are under continuous pressure to fight and the fact that the reservists are being called up more than once magnifies the crisis that already exists.

Haaretz points out the army has decreased its support for soldiers who need psychological treatment and sends them back to the warfront before evaluating their psychological state. The soldiers are continually under pressure by their officers to go back to fight or else face arrest.

Also, the declared numbers don’t show the real picture, the newspaper argues, pointing out that there are soldiers who committed suicide after they left the military service with the Israeli army admitting that by the end of 2025, there were 15 cases of this kind. The paper said there were four such cases with three in the last month.

This article is based on a report in Arabic published in the Palestine Information Center and it is republished at crossfirearabia.com.

Opinion

US-Iran: Who Will Blink First!

Dr Khairi Janbek
April 24, 2026

One would say that our main inheritance from the Covid period is the term, new normal, which has been since used, conveniently, in any circumstance we found baffling to our senses.

So one wonders if the stand in Hormuz will not be our current new normal, which will mean putting up with the economic consequences of the blockage and trying at the same time to find different routes for trade. Here, one is talking economics and trade simply because the loss of life and destruction doesn’t more matter in comparison to budgets and the flow of goods.

In fact each time anyone finds an intelligent reason for this ongoing conflict, the rediculous actions of the protagonists proves the impossibility of saying an informed or otherwise opinion. For all intents and purposes, all what can be reasonably said, is that for now, the war is supposed to be inconclusive despite the threats flying around, because essentially no one wants a regime change in Iran because no one can predict the consequences.

Therefore, back to economics again, the strategy seems, who will blink first and accept the conditions of the other to return to Islamabad. Iran with its enormous financial and economic problems which fears a new uprising in the streets once the stalemate with the US becomes the norm, or the USA with the mid term elections looming, rising inflation and higher energy prices, as well as volatility in stocks and shares prices in Wall Street.

When it comes to the situation in Lebanon, clearly the link with Iran is in fact Hizbullah; which is by its own admission the Party of Veliyati -Fatih in Lebanon, under the current circumstances, with the Israeli invasion of the south of Lebanon, for the first time in the history of Lebanon, not a sect, religious community, or power group, but in fact the official state representatives are talking about direct negotiations with Israel for peace, and in fact negotiating directly with each other in Washington.

For the Lebanese state, the situation now is legitimacy over the whole geography of the country, and limiting the possession of arms only in the hands of the Lebanese army and security. However, here also we face the scenario of whether the egg comes first, which is for Hizbullah Israeli withdrawal first, or the chicken, for the Lebanese government to negotiate the withdrawal of Israel.

Leaving the devil out of the details, would it mean ultimately, that a diplomatic agreement between Lebanon and Israel makes Hizbullah the enemy of both Israel and the Lebanese state together?, and what would the Lebanese state do as a next step, if Hizbullah decides to keep its weapons?

Then of course, there is the festering wound of Gaza and the West Bank which hardly warrant any news considering the scale of what is going on in the Gulf and in Lebanon. For Gaza, the vision fluctuates between lost peace, Israeli occupation withdrawn yellow lines, and Hamas with its show of force, amidst refugees, squalor, destruction and whether aid can go in or not, while on the other hand AI generated images of its rise beach resorts which no one is likely, from now on, be able to think about even if they can afford and realize them.

Future? What can one say save for bleak.

As for the West Bank, one has to apologise for saying that the Arabs, before anyone else, are reconciled with idea that the PNA is no longer there, apart from of course, moneymaking, here and there, and that what is termed as Palestinian territory will become a Bantustan in the sea of expanded Israel. Thus where do we go from here, well, there are people with paid salaries to think about!

Janbek is a Jordanian columnist based in Paris

News

Israel Sets Back Gaza 77 Years – UN Reports

CrossFireArabia
April 21, 2026

The UN and European Union issued a joint warning on Monday that human development across Gaza has been set back by a staggering 77 years, with $71.4 billion needed over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction.

That’s according to the final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), jointly conducted with the UN-partnered World Bank.

The assessment says $26.3 billion will be needed in the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure and support economic recovery.

Since full-scale war erupted in Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023, the physical damage in the Strip is estimated at $35.2 billion, with a further $22.7 billion in economic and social losses.

Entire sectors have been devastated, including housing, health, education, commerce, and agriculture.

Over 371,888 housing units have been destroyed or damaged, more than 50 per cent of hospitals are non-functional, and nearly all schools have been destroyed or damaged. The economy has contracted by 84 per cent.

Devastating human toll

The impact on the lives of Gazans is just as devastating: more than 60 per cent of the population having lost their homes and 1.9 million people displaced, often multiple times. Women, children, persons with disabilities, and those with pre-existing vulnerabilities bear the greatest burden.

Over two years of conflict has resulted in more than 71,000 Palestinian fatalities and over 171,000 injured, according to local authorities, with many still missing under the rubble.

Framework for reconstruction

The report provides the foundation for early recovery planning and reconstruction, stressing it must must run in parallel with humanitarian action to ensure an effective transition from emergency relief toward reconstruction at scale in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

The assessment is framed in line with Security Council adopted resolution 2803 (2025) of the US-backed Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, which welcomed establishment of the Board of Peace led by President Trump as a transitional administration to set the framework for redevelopment and authorised the mechanism to set up a temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF).

The EU and UN emphasise that recovery and reconstruction should be Palestinian-led and should support the transition of governance to the Palestinian Authority, while advancing a durable political settlement based on the two-State solution.

Planning and implementation should be inclusive, transparent, and accountable, with particular attention to the needs of women, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities.

Conditions needed

The assessment recognises that a set of enabling conditions are essential for recovery, reconstruction, and implementation of the broader political framework:

A sustained ceasefire and adequate security
Unimpeded humanitarian access and immediate restoration of essential services
Free movement of people, goods, and reconstruction materials, within and between Gaza and the West Bank, and a functional, transparent financial system
Clear, accountable governance, including defined mandates and establishment of conditions for the transitional administrative bodies in coordination with the Palestinian Authority (PA)
A credible pathway for the PA’s future governance across the entire Occupied Palestinian territory, including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, is essential
Debris clearance, explosive ordnance management, and resolution of housing, land, and property rights are prerequisites for reconstruction.
The international community must mobilise resources in a targeted, sequenced, coordinated manner
All obstacles to the deployment of expertise and equipment must be removed rapidly

UN News

News

Health Crisis: 18,000 Await to Leave Gaza

CrossFireArabia
April 19, 2026

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated, Sunday, that only 700 patients were able to depart the Gaza Strip, to receive outside health care as of last 2 February, 2026 when the Rafah Crossing was partially opened.

The PRCS added that more than 18,000 patients and those that are injured are still waiting for permission to leave for medical reasons, amidst tight Israeli restrictions.

Raed Al Nims, PRCS spokesman told “Sawt Falestine” the current pace of evacuation is “very slow and does not match the growing needs,” whilst warning that the health crisis in the sector is worsening.

He added about 700 patients left the Gaza Strip for treatment, while more than 18,000 wounded and sick individuals are awaiting urgent medical care.

Al-Nims explained thousands of critical cases are at risk of death due to the lack of medical resources, adding: “Lives are at stake, and some patients have already died while waiting on long waiting lists due to the absence of life-saving medical services.”

He clarified that patient selection is based on medical criteria that takes into account the severity of their condition, but procedures related to security approvals delay their departure, exacerbating their health problems.

This comes amidst Israel’s control over the Gaza Strip crossings, including the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side, while it continues to occupy more than 50 percent of the Strip’s area. This further restricts the movement of patients and limits their access to treatment outside Gaza.

Al-Nims called on the international community to intervene urgently to ensure the permanent opening of the crossings and to keep medical cases separate from any political or security considerations, while also stressing the need to provide safe and sustainable corridors for medical evacuations.

Since the reopening of the Rafah Crossing, Palestinians returning to Gaza have reported as being subjected to Israeli mistreatment, including detention and harsh interrogations lasting for hours, before being allowed to continue their journey into the Strip.

Before the war, hundreds of Palestinians left Gaza daily through the crossing, and hundreds more returned to the Strip in a normal flow of traffic. The crossing’s operations were managed by the Gaza Interior Ministry and the Egyptian authorities, without Israeli interference.

With American support, Israel launched a two-year war of genocide against Gaza on October 8, 2013, leaving more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 172,000 wounded, most of them children and women, and destroying 90 percent of the civilian infrastructure.

Despite the ceasefire agreement in effect since October 10, Israel continues its campaign of genocide through a persistent siege and daily bombardments, resulting in the deaths of 773 Palestinians and injuries to 2,171 others, mostly children and women, in addition to widespread material destruction. Israel is also preventing the entry of agreed-upon quantities of food, medicine, medical supplies, shelter materials, and prefabricated homes into Gaza, where some 2.4 million Palestinians, including 1.5 million displaced people, live in catastrophic conditions. Anadolu

News

MSF: ‘Health in Gaza Catastrophic’

CrossFireArabia
April 16, 2026

An official with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said about 60 percent of the cases treated at the organization’s facilities in the Gaza Strip over the past six months were direct injuries. She explained that the situation for Palestinians has not changed significantly since the ceasefire signed at the end of last year.

Shaimaa Awda, head of the organization’s mental health support department, described the health situation in the Gaza Strip to Anadolu Agency as “suffocating.”

Despite the ceasefire agreement in Gaza coming into effect on 10 October, 2025, living and health conditions remain dire for the 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza, including for the 1.4 million internally displaced persons.

Israel continues to renege on its commitments under the ceasefire agreement, including opening the crossings and allowing the entry of the agreed-upon quantities of food, relief supplies, medical aid, and shelter materials.

It also continues to commit daily violations of the ceasefire agreement, resulting in the deaths of 765 Palestinians and injuries to 2,140 others, according to a Gaza Ministry of Health statement.

A Dire Health Situation

Awda says that the organization’s teams have treated hundreds of dead and thousands of wounded, noting that injuries continue to arrive daily at its hospitals in Deir al-Balah and Gaza City.

She adds: “The violence continues, and the Gaza Strip is witnessing repeated incidents, the latest of which occurred in al-Maghazi camp, where medical teams received dozens of wounded, including critical cases.”

On 6 April, approximately 10 Palestinians were killed and others wounded by Israeli drone strikes and gunfire targeting a gathering of civilians east of al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Awda explains that restrictions on the entry of medical supplies have severely impacted health services, pointing to the difficulty in providing essential medications, especially for chronic diseases such as insulin.

She also notes a severe shortage of surgical instruments, sterilization materials, and infection control supplies, which has negatively affected the quality of medical care and the teams’ ability to treat patients.

Diseases Spreading

Awda warns of outbreaks of diseases linked to deteriorating living conditions, such as skin diseases, diarrhea, and respiratory illnesses, resulting from the scarcity of clean water and inadequate sanitation services.

She emphasizes that diseases like scabies have become more prevalent, especially among children in shelters and tents, due to the lack of hygiene and adequate healthcare.

These statements coincide with warnings issued by the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Hanan Balkhi, in an interview with Anadolu Agency on Monday, that the spread of diseases in Gaza threatens the entire region due to ongoing Israeli restrictions on the entry of medical aid, which hinders the health response.

Increasing Cases

Awda points out that children are the most vulnerable group, with medical facilities receiving increasing cases of respiratory illnesses and infections, including meningitis, in addition to worsening skin diseases.

She adds that some families delay seeking treatment due to the social stigma associated with skin diseases, which exacerbates the children’s health conditions.

She stressed the need for “real political pressure” on Israeli authorities to allow the urgent entry of medical and food supplies, warning that the continuation of the current situation threatens dire humanitarian consequences.

She affirmed that “the suffering of the population continues despite talk of a truce, amid a severe shortage of resources and a decline in basic services,” calling for immediate international action to save what remains of the health sector in Gaza.

The ceasefire agreement was reached after two years of a genocidal war launched by Israel in Gaza on October 8, 2013, with US support. The war continued in various forms afterward, leaving more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 172,000 wounded, and causing widespread destruction affecting 90 percent of the civilian infrastructure.