Ronen Shalev is grappling with the impending third anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack, which claimed nearly 1,200 lives in Israel. Speaking to DW, he describes the physical toll of this emotional burden: “You start shivering… It’s a difficult time and you feel it in your body.”
Shalev’s son Roee was injured during the attack at the Nova Party, where around 400 attendees were killed by Hamas militants. Tragically, Roee’s partner, Mapal Adam, was among the dead, while his daughter Lior managed to escape. Shortly after the incident, Shalev’s wife, Gavriela, was found deceased in a burnt car, having left a farewell note. “She couldn’t handle the sorrow from that day,” he recalled.
Following their family’s trauma, Roee began experiencing severe mood swings and sought treatment, albeit reluctantly. Two years later, he expressed his despair in an Instagram post, writing, “I’m alive, but I’m dead within.”
Since the attack, Israel faces a significant mental health crisis, with a report indicating that 39% of the population—approximately three million people—experience medium to severe post-traumatic symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. Despite the crisis, mental health treatment rates have seen only a marginal increase.
Noga Dagan-Buzaglo from the Adva Center highlights the challenges within the mental health system, noting that while funding has increased, staffing shortages persist, leading to lengthy waiting times for treatment. According to research, many mental health professionals are also affected, with a staggering 84% reporting traumatic symptoms themselves.
Mental health issues are particularly pressing among Israel’s soldiers, with a recent report showing a spike in suicide rates among reservists. Dagan-Buzaglo emphasises the need for more support in addressing both civilian and military mental health concerns, stressing that trauma does not dissipate after a year.
Shalev, who lectures on mental health issues to soldiers, seeks to break the stigma surrounding suicide and encourages those suffering to seek help. “Life, with all its pain, is still worth deciding in favour of,” he said.
For anyone struggling with emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, immediate professional help is advised. Resources can be found at befriends.org.
