WEST BANK (Dispatches) – An official Israeli report has revealed that three million settlers are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the events of October 7, 2023, but only 0.6 percent of them have received treatment due to the failure of the healthcare system in the occupation regime.
The report was issued by State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman about the Zionist regime’s failure to treat settlers before and after the outbreak of the war. It reveals a series of failures and a lack of preparedness of the mental health system, according to Israeli media.
“The Comptroller’s report on mental healthcare after the October 7 attacks presents the failure and collapse of the mental health systems,” said Calcalist. “Only about 0.6 percent of the population received mental health treatment through health management organizations (HMOs) and resilience centers, even though 38 percent of the population reported moderate to severe symptoms,” during the first six months of the war.
The report stated that approximately three million settlers may suffer from PTSD symptoms, depression, or anxiety in the wake of October 7 but less than one percent of them have sought treatment, reported Israel’s Channel 12. “A poll included in the report revealed that 34 percent of respondents reported suffering from symptoms of PTSD, 32 percent reported moderate or severe depression, 21 percent reported symptoms of anxiety, and 38 percent reported having at least one symptom at a moderate or severe level.”
Regarding mental healthcare provided by the health funds (similar to health insurance) and mental health centers, the Comptroller found that in the six months following October 7, only 0.6 percent of the general population received treatment.
“The primary reason for not seeking treatment, according to 38 percent of respondents, was long wait times. The wait time for treatment from health funds was six and a half months as of April and May 2024,” noted the comptroller.
“The next most common reason people didn’t seek treatment was that they didn’t know it was available, with 23 percent naming this reason,” added the report, noting that “19 percent said they did not trust health fund treatment providers, 17 percent said they were worried about information security, and five percent said they couldn’t find a suitable therapist.”
Data from a survey conducted by the Comptroller’s Office last April indicate that “this is an estimate of about 3 million people in the adult population, including about 580,000 people who may suffer from at least one severe symptom of PTSD.”