TEL AVIV (Dispatches) -- A new report published by the Israeli daily Haaretz reveals a sharp decline in the psychological and societal resilience of Jewish settlers following the war on Gaza, challenging global norms that typically show an increase in unity during times of conflict.
Citing a study conducted by Tel Aviv University, Haaretz reported on Tuesday that resilience among settlers has deteriorated significantly since the October 7 Hamas-led operation known as “Al-Aqsa Flood,” and the subsequent Israeli onslaught on Gaza. 
The report quotes Dr. Shaul Kimhi, a prominent expert on societal resilience, who warned that internal divisions within Israeli settlers have deepened and reached a dangerous new phase.
Kimhi, who heads ongoing research into the psychological effects of the Gaza war and the issue of Israeli captives, noted that while national crises usually lead to an increase in social cohesion, patriotism, and collective endurance, the Israeli experience has defied this global trend. “Unlike in most countries at war, Israeli society is growing more fractured, not more united,” he said.
The report also draws a striking comparison with Ukraine. Despite facing a full-scale invasion and millions of citizens being displaced, Ukrainian society has reportedly shown higher levels of resilience two years into its conflict than Jewish settlers have exhibited just months after the Gaza war.
According to Kimhi, two major factors are driving this erosion of Israeli morale. First is the growing public distrust in prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. The study highlights a significant drop in confidence in the current regime’s ability to manage security, the economy, and the social crisis — all exacerbated by the ongoing war.
Second is the deep frustration surrounding the unresolved issue of Israeli captives held in Gaza. Kimhi noted that public sentiment increasingly views the Netanyahu regime’s efforts to recover captives as inadequate. This dissatisfaction, he warned, is feeding a broader crisis of identity and purpose.
Social rifts over the war and the fate of the captives are widening across Jewish settlers in an unprecedented way. The study concludes that without serious efforts to address these issues — especially the fate of the captives — settlers risk long-term psychological damage.
“This wound,” Kimhi warned, “will not heal on its own. It threatens to leave a permanent scar.”