Attorney Eli Saban. Represents soldier
Soldier left behind in Gaza gets disabled status
Defense Ministry recognizes combat soldier suffering from post-trauma as shell shock victim
A combat soldier from the Golani Brigade who was mistakenly left behind in Gaza by his platoon following a military operation will be recognized as a shell shock victim and compensated accordingly, the Defense Ministry says.
In July of 2007 the soldier nodded off during an operation deep within the Gaza Strip. When he awoke he found that his fellow soldiers had left him behind and returned to Israel.
Startled and without means of communication, the soldier called out his friends' names and ran to the place where he had last seen them. Terrified of being taken hostage, he groped his way in the dark and then lit a flare.
An hour later, when the troops arrived in Israel, they realized they were one soldier short and went back for him. After the incident the soldier was transferred to another unit.
But during Operation Cast Lead he returned to Gaza with his new unit, where he witnessed the death of one of his comrades.
Upon being discharged from military service the soldier appealed to the Defense Ministry through Attorney Eli Saban for shell shock victim status.
The soldier told the ministry in his appeal that he still suffers from nightmares and flashbacks in which he hears his friends calling his name, as well as nervousness and withdrawal from society.
He claims the two experiences he had in Gaza have caused him Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a category of anxiety disorders in which shell shock is often placed.
The soldier sought psychological treatment for his trauma, and was diagnosed by his doctor as suffering from chronic shell shock.
The Defense Ministry decided to accept the doctor's diagnosis and has summoned the soldier to rank his level of disability, in order to label him a disabled IDF veteran.
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