Israeli Nonprofits Scale Up Care for Growing Wave of Wounded Soldiers

Nonprofits like Belev Echad and Brothers For Life are expanding services to meet the rising demand for rehabilitation and medical support

Mar. 12, 2026 at 12:50pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Israel's Defense Ministry projects that by 2028, some 100,000 patients will be treated through their rehabilitation department, up from 82,000 currently. Nonprofits like Belev Echad and Brothers For Life are scaling up their services to supplement the government's care, providing wounded soldiers with advanced treatments, emotional support, and access to medical care abroad.

Why it matters

The increase in wounded Israeli soldiers is described as a 'top-tier national challenge', straining both public infrastructure and private philanthropy. Nonprofits are playing a crucial role in meeting the growing and complex rehabilitation needs, offering specialized services and a sense of community for soldiers grappling with both physical and mental injuries.

The details

Soldiers like Matan Fishman and Yehonatan Maatuf have relied on nonprofits like Belev Echad for rehabilitation, medical care, and emotional support after sustaining serious injuries. Belev Echad has transformed its facilities into a rehabilitation center, grown its annual budget from $1 million to $18 million, and expanded its staff and services to support around 2,000 soldiers, up from 400 before the war. Brothers For Life has also experienced rapid growth, going from supporting 100 soldiers per year to 1,000, and is in the process of building an additional location.

  • In November 2023, Matan Fishman was first hospitalized after a concrete wall collapsed on his leg while fighting in Gaza.
  • In January 2026, Israel's Defense Ministry described the increase in wounded IDF and security personnel as a 'top-tier national challenge'.
  • By 2028, Israel's Defense Ministry projects that some 100,000 patients will be treated through their rehabilitation department.

The players

Matan Fishman

A 45-year-old man who was seriously injured while fighting in Gaza in November 2023 and has relied on Belev Echad for rehabilitation and emotional support.

Yehonatan Maatuf

A 22-year-old soldier who had his right arm amputated after being mistakenly shot by a machine gun, and has received treatment and rehabilitation services from Belev Echad.

Belev Echad

An Israeli nonprofit that provides rehabilitation and medical care to wounded Israeli soldiers, and has significantly expanded its services and budget to meet the growing demand.

Brothers For Life

An Israeli nonprofit through which war veterans support injured soldiers, which has also experienced rapid growth in the number of soldiers it serves since the start of the war.

Eyal Fruchter

The co-founder of ICAR, a mental health umbrella organization in Israel, who has observed a significant increase in applications for disability recognition among wounded soldiers.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“None of the antibiotics killed the infection. I could not walk for three months. Then I started again, slowly, slowly.”

— Matan Fishman (ejewishphilanthropy.com)

“Belev Echad was the only thing that kept me in shape, kept me, kept me busy. I had nothing to do. I was just thrown out of the army.”

— Yehonatan Maatuf, 22-year-old soldier (ejewishphilanthropy.com)

“I have my eruptions and my anxiety and my depression. But in the [Belev Echad] house, you feel equal. Everybody is crazy over here, everybody is wounded over here.”

— Elad Fadel, Belev Echad's hospital visits coordinator (ejewishphilanthropy.com)

What’s next

Brothers For Life is planning to host a second conference focused on traumatic brain injuries in May 2026.

The takeaway

The surge in wounded Israeli soldiers has strained both public and private resources, but nonprofits like Belev Echad and Brothers For Life are rising to the challenge by expanding their rehabilitation services, providing access to specialized medical care, and creating a supportive community for soldiers grappling with physical and mental injuries.