One-fifth of Israelis forced to evacuate their settlements after October 7, 2023, have lost their jobs, highlighting the greater economic cost of the war on Gaza.
According to Reuters, tens of thousands of Israelis were evacuated from areas near the Gaza Strip and Lebanon’s borders.
Most spent months away from their jobs and incomes and living in temporary housing, aided by government subsidies that added to the billions of dollars spent on the IOF during the war.
According to a study done in December and January by the nonpartisan IDI think tank, little over a third (39%) of Israelis had returned to their settlements, while the majority of the north remains empty.
However, according to the IDI study, 19% of individuals in employment before the war had become unemployed when the survey was done, emphasizing the cost to an economy that will grow by just 1% in 2024. Another three percent were called up for reserve military duty.