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The Israeli army reported a sharp increase in suicides among soldiers in 2024, with 21 taking their own lives, the highest toll in over a decade.

Among the 21 soldiers who died by suicide, 12 were reservists, a consequence of the Israeli military’s increased reliance on reserve forces since the start of its war on Gaza.

According to the data, suicides have become the second-leading cause of death within the Israeli military, trailing behind operational duty, but surpassing illnesses and accidents.

In October, over 130 Israeli soldiers, including reservists and conscripts from various military branches, signed an open letter calling for an end to the war and stating they refuse to serve unless the government works on a ceasefire and captive release deal.

The soldiers argue that continuing the war endangers the lives of the captives held by Hamas in Gaza, with many feeling that more of them have been killed by Israeli airstrikes than rescued.

On Thursday, Gaza's Islamic Jihad group issued a statement saying an Israeli captive tried to take his own life after ceasefire negotiations reportedly reached a standstill. 

One of the group's medical teams intervened and prevented him from dying, the Al Quds Brigades spokesperson said, without going into any more detail on the hostage's identity or current condition.

Meanwhile, internal dissent within the army is growing, with soldiers increasingly refusing to report for duty. Some have even resisted specific military missions, citing moral objections and the toll of the war on both the military and civilian population.

Over the past two tears, 807 Israeli soldiers were killed in operational duty and 11 were killed in the last year in "acts of terror", Israeli media reported.

Public demonstrations calling for a ceasefire have also erupted across Israel, adding to the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader is facing an arrest warrant over war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court and has been accused by many Israelis and the families of captives of continuing the war for his own political ambitions. 

Meanwhile, Gaza's humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with at least 45,553 Palestinians killed since Israel launched a punishing war on Gaza in October 2023.

The devastation of civilian infrastructure, combined with the ongoing Israeli bombardment, has left many without access to food, water, or medical supplies.

Hospitals in the Strip are overwhelmed, and critical services are struggling to keep pace with the growing number of casualties.

It comes as an Israeli airstrike targeted a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza on Thursday, killing at least 11 people, including three children and two women.

The strike hit a tent in the al-Mawasi area, near Khan Yunis, where displaced families have been seeking shelter from the war.

The attack also left 15 other Palestinians wounded, with rescue teams working through the debris in search of survivors.

On New Year's Day, Israeli airstrikes across Gaza killed at least 26 people, including women and children, while others remain missing in the rubble.