More than 1,150 Israeli soldiers and security personnel have fallen since the Hamas-led attack on the western Negev on October 7, 2023. Over 6,500 people have since been recognized as bereaved. This emerges from new data published on Monday by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the National Insurance Institute, and the psychological emergency organization ERAN.
During the same period, 978 civilians were murdered in terrorist attacks, including 62 children under 18, according to Israel’s Channel 12. Of the fallen security personnel, about 42 percent were younger than 21, while 141 were over 40. In total, 1,152 members of the security services lost their lives, including soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, police officers, members of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency, local security coordinators, and civilian volunteers in rapid response teams.
The bereaved include 1,973 parents, 351 widows, 885 orphans, and 3,481 siblings. In the past year alone, an additional 262 security personnel fell. Over 1,300 new bereaved individuals joined the circle of grief, including 240 orphans and around 750 siblings. Of the fallen, 1,086 were men and 66 were women; 801 were single, 327 were married. Additionally, 318 reservists are among the dead.
Among civilian victims, 778 people were murdered on the first day of the Hamas attacks. According to the National Insurance Institute, around 80,000 civilians have since suffered physical or psychological harm. Of these, 30,462 were recognized as psychologically traumatized, 1,929 suffer from a combination of physical and psychological injuries, and 1,592 from physical injuries alone.
During the 12-day war with Iran in June this year, 30 civilians were killed by ballistic missiles, and 1,176 were injured. In the first two months of the war alone, the National Insurance Institute paid out over $220 million in compensation for terror victims, bereaved families, and hostage families. In 2024, payments totaled more than $243 million, with over $46 million disbursed in the last quarter of 2025 alone—including more than $16 million for medical care and support for returned hostages.
ERAN, the organization for psychological first aid, recorded the highest number of distress calls since its founding in 1971 during the initial phase of the war. Nearly every second call is related to fear, trauma, or loss. Since October 7, 2023, ERAN has received over 637,000 emergency calls. “The data show a persistent erosion of social and familial resilience and an increased risk among particularly vulnerable groups,” said ERAN’s national clinical director, Dr. Shiri Daniels. “The silent suffering and existential anxiety impair the functioning of individuals, families, and communities.”
Aryeh Moalem, deputy director-general and head of the Department of Families, Commemoration, and Heritage at the Israeli Ministry of Defense, also sees the country facing an unprecedented burden: “The State of Israel is paying a high price—our country’s history is written with the blood of our sons and daughters. Two years have passed since the war broke out, and our department is handling a workload equivalent to more than twenty years of regular activity. Our staff see their work as a mission—they preserve the memory of the fallen, maintain their legacy for future generations, and provide psychological and social support to grieving families.”
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