A disturbing rise in domestic violence is being reported across Israel as the war against Hamas stretches into its eighth month.

New figures presented to the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality on Thursday reveals a harrowing 65% spike in domestic abuse complaints filed with the Ministry of Welfare between October 2023 and April 2024 compared to the same period a year earlier.

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“Violence exists everywhere,” lamented committee chair MK Merav Ben Ari. “We are eight months into the war, and people are not as inclined to receive personal treatment because there is a sense of internal unity in the face of an external enemy.”

Even more disconcerting is data indicating abused Israeli women are staying away from shelters meant to provide refuge. A welfare ministry official at the meeting suggested that the immense psychological toll on soldiers and families in battle-torn areas has created an environment ripe for unaddressed trauma and violent outbursts.

“The gap concerns me because it indicates that not enough people are turning to the shelters, and not enough people are calling the ministry’s 118 hotline,” the official stated. “We are eight months into the war, and people are not as inclined to receive personal treatment because there is a sense of internal unity in the face of an external enemy, and victims feel as though their problem is not as important.”

Israel’s resilience relies on protecting and supporting its most vulnerable just as fiercely as its frontline soldiers. The committee urged that immediate action be taken to find a comprehensive domestic reform before more Israeli families fall victim to the cycle of domestic abuse.

    Channah June 20, 2024 7:25 pm

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