The Impact of a National  Trauma 

Terrorism has long been part of life in Israel, with many citizens, especially in the south, facing regular exposure to violence and security threats. But the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, marked an unprecedented level of brutality. Over 1,200 people were murdered, thousands injured, and around 240 abducted, while rockets continued to target civilians across the country.

This attack has left deep emotional and psychological scars, turning an already chronic threat into a profound national trauma.

These events hold particular significance for Israelis, given the context and scope of victimization; however, on a global scale, the October 7th attack represents just an entry on the long list of terrorists’ acts and war crimes. The examples from the 21th century include, inter alia, the September 11th attacks on the U.S. in 2001 (2,996 deaths), the Bali bombings in 2002 in Indonesia (202 deaths), the Beslan school siege in 2004 in Russia (334 deaths); and the Camp Speicher massacre in 2014 in Iraq (1095 deaths). Given the prevalence of such traumatic events globally, there is a critical need to assess their impact.

Our project aims to study the emotional aftermath of such events. Here you’ll find research publications and resources on the psychological toll of terrorism and wars.