How Israeli responders beat trauma

IN THE midst of a brutal 18-month war against Hamas, and with the prospect of conflict with Iran looming, it is little wonder some may consider Israel to be sitting on top of a ticking PTSD time bomb.

- By Marco Giannangeli

But the middle-eastern democracy has a "secret weapon" which many in the West can no longer call on: strong family ties and a true sense of community, which is helping so many to get through.

Never was that more needed than after October 7, 2023, when 1,200 Israelis were murdered and 251 taken hostage by Hamas terrorists.

The response involved more than 360,000 conscripts, many aged 18-21, as well as thousands of first-responders.

A third of Israel's 10 million people is said to be suffering from some form of post-traumatic stress disorder. But the corresponding spike in crime or anti-social behaviour often carried out by sufferers who turn to alcohol has been limited.

“We have the biggest families in the developed world, and that means so much,” said Israeli journalist Haviv Rettig Gur.

"Families are very close, because even if you try to run away, the other side of the country is just 90 minutes' drive away."