Two female soldiers commit suicide in Israeli army

The Israeli army is investigating the suicides of two female soldiers that occurred this week, pushing the total number of active-duty personnel who have died by suicide in 2026 to 16. The incidents have heightened concerns about mental health within the military.

The first case involved a female soldier serving in the "Bardelas" battalion, stationed near the Egyptian border. She died by suicide at a military base in southern Israel. The second incident occurred on July 26, involving another female soldier from Military Intelligence who took her own life at the "Glilot" base near Ramat Hasharon in central Israel.

According to the Haaretz newspaper, which compiled the data, at least nine of the soldiers who died by suicide this year were not on active duty at the time of their deaths, including some who participated in the Gaza conflict. A previous report indicated that 22 soldiers died by suicide in 2025 while on duty, marking the highest annual rate in 15 years.

Recent reports in the Israeli press have suggested a link between the increasing number of suicides among soldiers and the psychological trauma stemming from the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which began on October 8, 2023. The military police are conducting separate investigations into both recent cases.