Israeli Ministry of Labor reports 46,000 layoffs amid Gaza conflict

Shafaq News/ Amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Ministry of Labor revealed that approximately 46,000 Israeli workers have been laid off since the escalation of events on October 7.

The ministry's statement, released a month after the initial announcement of unemployment data, indicated a significant impact on the Israeli workforce.

According to the ministry, 760,000 Israeli workers, constituting nearly 18% of the workforce, are not working for various reasons. These reasons include workers and employees serving as reserve forces in the army, residing in proximity to Gaza, or staying at home to care for their children.

In response to the conflict, Israel called up around 350,000 reserve soldiers last month, many of whom were employees contributing to the Israeli economy. The situation has raised concerns about the country entering a recession.

The data provided by the Israeli Ministry of Labor does not account for Palestinian workers in Israel, estimated at around 140,000 employees, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.

The conflict, which has been ongoing for 27 days, has led to the destruction of entire residential neighborhoods and the loss of thousands of lives, predominantly civilians. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened significantly due to the destruction of infrastructure and the Israeli blockade imposed since Hamas won the legislative elections in 2006.