The Israeli Ministry of Labor has released official statistics, revealing that 760,000 Israelis have lost their jobs due to Operation Al-Aqsa Storm initiated by the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, on October 7th of last year.
According to these official figures, approximately 18% of Israel’s workforce has ceased working within 26 days of the “Al-Aqsa Storm.” This operation caused significant disruptions in Israel, particularly in the southern and northern regions.
The Ministry noted that the construction and restaurant sectors are among the hardest hit, witnessing substantial unemployment. Specifically, 276,000 reservist soldiers have left their jobs and are currently unemployed, while 127,000 workers were evacuated from their positions near the Gaza Strip in the south and along the Lebanese border in the north. Additionally, 183,000 parents have been absent from work, and 139,000 employees are unable to work due to partial or complete cessation of their businesses because of the war.
The construction sector alone saw 86,000 workers losing their jobs, and 62,000 employees were affected in the food and beverage services sector. A significant 70% of the Israeli workforce was placed on unpaid leave, while the remaining workers were laid off.
A survey conducted by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics during the third week of “Operation Al-Aqsa” and the Gaza war revealed that 65% of businesses in the northern and southern regions experienced a loss of more than 50% of their revenue.
Previously, 300 top Israeli experts had warned about Israel’s economy facing challenging times, necessitating immediate actions by the Israeli government to stop the economic downturn.