Tel Aviv University data shows 99,000 Israelis left in two years

99,000 Israelis departed the country between January 2023 and December 2024, according to a study published in February by researchers at Tel Aviv University. The figure represents the highest number of departures in any two-year period on record for a population of approximately 10 million people. The study utilized data from the Central Bureau of Statistics to identify individuals who remained outside Israel for at least three consecutive months and spent more than 270 days abroad during their first year away.

Itai Ater, a professor at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, led the research. He noted that the period has been marked by war, economic instability, and a prime minister facing a corruption trial that began in 2020 without a verdict. Ater stated that many citizens are asking themselves if they want to raise children in such an environment. He said he sympathizes with those who answer no. Preliminary figures indicate that the pattern of emigration continued through 2025.

The exodus followed the October 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed roughly 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 250 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza. A fragile ceasefire took effect in October 2025, although Israel still controls about 60 percent of the enclave and maintains a regular military presence there. Ater linked the high departure rates to this sustained turbulence.

Next week's national election adds another layer of uncertainty. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving leader, is seeking to retain power. Polls suggest his far-right bloc will not secure the 61 Knesset seats required for a majority. A rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party is expected to win the most seats but is also projected to fall short of a majority. Ater warned that without a political shift, emigration numbers could rise dramatically.

Avigail Ben-Porat, a 50-year-old single mother living in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, said she dreams of leaving but lacks the financial means. She reports hearing rocket fire regularly and noted that many of her friends have moved to Portugal, Canada, Thailand, and India. The study found that the departure of skilled professionals is a particular concern, with net losses of 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors in 2023 and 2024.

Corporate leaders are also responding to the trend. Liam Schwartz, who heads the corporate immigration department at the Tel Aviv law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said some companies face pressure from non-Israeli investors worried about the viability of operating in the country. These firms are increasingly willing to shift portions of their workforce to North America or Europe. Schwartz traced this discontent to January 2023, when the government proposed judicial reforms that would have reduced the powers of the Supreme Court. He said investors feel the government is no longer meeting its part of the social contract.