Step into any Israeli café, and you might find a soldier stirring coffee next to you. Board any train, and uniforms blend with business suits. This isn’t just what Israel looks like – it’s who Israel is. The IDF isn’t some separate force; it’s our sons leaving university lectures for reserve duty, our daughters calling home between patrols, our neighbors disappearing from work for weeks of service.

On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department released the latest statistics that reveal the heavy cost Israel’s heroes have been paying on the battlefield.

Since Hamas launched its devastating massacre on October 7, 2023, 777 Israeli soldiers have died and 12,000 have entered rehabilitation centers, two-thirds of them reservists. The trauma runs deep with 5,200 soldiers fighting the haunting battle of PTSD, while others face stark physical challenges such as the 60 soldiers learning to live without limbs, 23 with severe head trauma and 12 who’ve lost their sight. In a testament to both duty and sacrifice, 1,500 of these warriors returned to battle after treatment, only to be wounded again.

In response, the IDF has unveiled a daring new initiative called MAGEN – meaning “shield” in Hebrew. Health officers now deploy alongside combat units, while soldiers receive specialized training to support squadmates through their darkest moments.

With 62,000 veterans already under care from previous conflicts and projections reaching 100,000 by 2030, MAGEN’s approach couldn’t come at a more critical time. Because when an Israeli soldier hurts, entire Jewish communities feel the pain.