From the Battlefield to the Bottle: Gaza War Fuels

Addiction Crisis among Israelis Nine months into the Israeli aggression, the Gaza Strip, which has lost tens of thousands of civilians, remains steadfast in its resistance against occupation. Paradoxically, this sheer barbarism has caused a devastating wave of psychological trauma, not in Gaza but deep at the heart of the Israeli regime. The war on Gaza has left Israelis grappling with the debilitating effects of extreme stress and fear, resulting in a 100% increase in cases of 'broken heart syndrome'—a condition that resembles the pain of a heart attack. According to Zionist media, drug and alcohol addiction among youth in Israel's northern and southern areas has increased by 50%. Sixty percent of mental health therapists in the public sector are reportedly considering leaving their positions, according to the Israel National Institute for Health Policy Research. The specter of war and a sharp decrease in the health budget—which is set aside for military expenses—are to blame for this mass exodus of Israeli mental health professionals.