Due to trauma: 53 years after Syrian captivity, Ministry of Defense recognizes link to cancer
A medical committee of the Rehabilitation Department has determined there is a basis to recognize the link between the severe trauma experienced in captivity and the leukemia the former soldier developed at a relatively young age. The committee cited the severity of the trauma and its lasting impact, assigning a 50% permanent disability rating. Attorneys call it a precedent-setting decision, noting a growing scientific basis linking prolonged trauma to malignant morbidity.
A., 73, fell into Syrian captivity as a 20-year-old soldier during the Yom Kippur War. More than five decades later, a regional medical committee of the Ministry of Defense's Rehabilitation Department has recognized the link between the post-trauma he suffers from and the leukemia discovered in his body years after his return to Israel. In its decision, the committee noted that while medical literature offers varying opinions on the causal link between PTSD and hematological malignancies, the specific circumstances of this case—including the patient's young age at onset, the severity of the trauma, and its prolonged psychological impact—justify recognizing the connection.
Eight months in Syrian captivity
During the hearing, A. described the eight months spent in captivity, characterized by intensive interrogations, forced labor, and harrowing physical and mental conditions.
Upon returning to Israel, A. attempted to resume an intensive daily routine, including long periods of reserve duty. However, the return to normalcy did not erase the trauma. Since his release, he has suffered from severe sleep disturbances, recurring nightmares, and persistent hyper-arousal. These psychological struggles impacted his family life, yet it was only years later that he sought regular psychological care, eventually being diagnosed with PTSD and beginning a regimen of medication and psychotherapy.
Disease discovered at 47
Approximately 26 years after his return, at age 47, A. was diagnosed with myeloma, a malignancy of plasma cells in the bone marrow. His legal team, attorneys Chen Levy and Maor Gabay from the Markman-Tomashin & Co. firm, argued that this was an unusually young age for such a diagnosis.
An expert opinion from a professor of hematology was submitted to the committee, supporting the link between prolonged trauma, psychological damage, and accelerated aging processes. Medical records from when A. was just 23 already noted signs of accelerated aging, further supporting the claim that the chronic stress of captivity contributed to the disease's development.
October 7 events re-triggered the trauma
The legal team also argued that the events of October 7 led to a deterioration in A.'s mental state. Reports regarding the hostages re-triggered his memories of captivity, which coincided with a worsening of his myeloma. The attorneys argued that this temporal proximity between his psychological decline and the progression of his disease strengthens the case for recognizing the link.
Following the decision, A. was assigned a 50% permanent disability rating for myeloma. In July 2026, the Rehabilitation Department confirmed that his total weighted disability rating, including previous claims and mental health status, now stands at 75% permanently.
Attorney Chen Levy stated:
"This is a precedent-setting and welcome decision for a person dealing with a difficult mental state after captivity. In accordance with new studies, there is a significant scientific basis supporting the medical probability that extreme and prolonged trauma can significantly contribute to the development of malignant morbidity and its recurrence. We wish A. robust health and longevity."
