IDF jails soldiers suffering from severe PTSD
Israeli Soldiers Jailed for Refusing Gaza Duty Cite Trauma from Accidental Killings
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Four soldiers from the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion, who refused to return to combat in Gaza due to severe psychological distress, entered military prison today, Monday, after being sentenced for their refusal. In a Kan News report aired on “At Noon” on Kan Reshet Bet, one soldier shared a harrowing account of the trauma that led to his decision, emphasizing, “It’s not fear, it’s not political, it’s just too hard. We want our voices heard.”
The soldier recounted an incident where his unit accidentally killed a family in Gaza: “We were in a combat zone, saw three figures, and followed orders to shoot. Later, we learned they were two kids, about 12 or 13, and their mother. We didn’t know.” He described the aftermath: “Three guys in our unit dropped out with post-traumatic stress, nightmares, insomnia, seeing those kids. No one talked to us, no psychologist showed up. Everything just kept going like normal.” He added that other soldiers feared reporting their struggles due to peer pressure. “After 13 or 14 rounds of fighting, you carry so much weight and don’t get to release it, it breaks you.”
Another incident involved the death of four battalion members, leaving the soldier grappling with guilt. “I survived by pure chance because my weapon jammed, and my friend went instead. He died in my place. That’ll haunt me forever,” he said. “We had one meeting with a mental health officer. I used to be warm, now I’m cold. I’m not the same person.”
The soldiers, who served 13 to 17 months during the war, faced “a deep internal crisis,” according to their testimony. “We did everything we could, but when we refused to go back, they threw us in jail instead of helping us,” the soldier said. The platoon has since significantly reduced in size.
A mother of one soldier told Kan News: “My son cares about the IDF and doesn’t want to leave. But after two grueling years, they need treatment, not prison. Someone needs to look into what’s happening in these units, many are broken.”
Three of the soldiers received prison sentences ranging from one week to 12 days, while the fourth awaits trial. All were removed from combat roles. One soldier, previously wounded in Gaza, underwent rehabilitation and chose to return to combat before refusing further duty. The soldiers endured months of fighting, losing comrades and witnessing traumatic scenes that, as one mother said, “will be etched deep in their souls.”
The IDF responded: “The soldiers met with a mental health officer who found them fit for combat. Their cases were handled sensitively per regulations. The IDF views refusal of orders during wartime as a serious matter and will continue to enforce discipline and command values.”