Israelis Struggling with Trauma Receive Mental Health Support

The October 7 attacks unleashed trauma across Israel. The death toll, the reality of hundreds of Israelis held hostage, and the brutality of the attack affected the entire country.  

Months later, most Israelis have returned to a semblance of normalcy — but the psychological consequences of the attacks remain. At least 60,000 Israelis are expected to suffer from the long-term effects of trauma and will require continuous professional help, according to Dr. Hilla Hadas, the executive director of Enosh — The Israeli Mental Health Association, a HIAS partner. 

“We estimate that at least half the people in distress have yet to reach out for help,” said Hadas. “Their situation is getting worse. Some don’t know who to reach out to, while others feel uncomfortable seek[ing] help because they think that those who were under attack or are dealing with loss are in a worse situation.” 

Enosh, the largest mental health organization in Israel, assisted approximately 16,000 individuals and their families before the war. The trauma caused by the terror attacks and the ensuing war has made the numbers rise dramatically.  

In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, Enosh mental health workers had difficulty reaching those in need. Several of the organization’s branches were temporarily closed and employees had to provide remote assistance.  

To help meet the enormous needs of the population, HIAS Emergency Response partnered with Enosh to provide critical support and get therapists in touch with individuals unable to access mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS).  

The two organizations worked together to set up mobile MHPSS units to ensure access to essential services for those most impacted by the crisis. “Mobile mental health support is very significant, especially during extreme times,” said Monim Haroon, a partnership specialist in HIAS ER.  

HIAS also helped supply dozens of laptops and rental cars so employees could physically meet with people who needed face-to-face intervention and provided MHPSS support to Enosh emergency response staff to help them better cope with secondhand trauma and avoid a reduction in their workforce.  

In order to provide this continuous care, Enosh’s psychosocial team members, some of whom have suffered personal loss during the October attack, continue to visit displaced Israelis staying in hotels in Eilat and the Dead Sea two to three times a week. 

“On top of the psychological issues they dealt with before the war, the evacuees now have to deal with the loss of their homes and supporting environment,” explained Hadas.    

Enosh felt it needed to provide its response in whatever way it could.   

“We had to reach people who didn’t step out of their homes, speak with them, help them with their basic needs like food packages or medicine or filling out government forms,” said Galia Ben Ayoun, coordinator and team leader at Enosh. “And we had to learn how to do all these things on the go. There is a lot of fright and uncertainty, I feel it myself.”  

Enosh is planning for the possibility of a large evacuation of residents from the north of Israel if a war with Hezbollah starts. 

“We don’t know when the war will end, but the need for large-scale mental health will go on for a long time,” said Haroon.