According to a report prepared by the Knesset Research and Information Center, immigration from Israel recorded a noticeable increase following the start of the Gaza War in October 2023, in light of escalating security tensions and internal political division.
Data indicate that the year 2023 alone witnessed the departure of about 83,000 Israelis, an increase of 39 percent over the previous year.
From the beginning of 2024 until August of the same year, about 50,000 people left Israel, a percentage similar to what was recorded in the same period in 2023.
On the other hand, the number of returnees from abroad witnessed a noticeable decline, as only 24,200 Israelis returned in 2023, compared to 29,600 in 2022.
In the period from January to August 2024, the number of returnees reached only 12,100 Israelis.
This disparity exacerbated the negative immigration balance, which reached its peak in 2023 with a negative difference of 58,600 people, while in 2024 (until August) the difference reached about 36,900 Israelis.
Chairman of the Knesset Committee for Immigration Affairs, Gilad Krif, described the phenomenon as a “tsunami,” stressing that “many Israelis are choosing to build their future outside the country, while the number of those choosing to return is declining.”
He added: “What we see is a direct result of government policies that tore apart society before the war did, and neglected the civil front during the last two years.”
Krif warned that “the absence of a clear government plan may lead to an exacerbation of the phenomenon in the coming years.”
Despite the worrying indicators, the report confirmed that the Israeli government does not have any organized plan to limit immigration or encourage the return of expatriates, which further deepens the crisis.
