Israel's population growth slows as residents emigrate amid war
Israel's population growth slowed in 2024 compared to 2023, according to the country's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), with the decline largely attributable to Israelis leaving the country.
The CBS warned that the impact of the war on long-term migration patterns should be fully assessed in a year's time, "starting from November 2024 onwards".
The census office said that in 2024, Israel's population grew by 1.1%, compared to 1.6% in 2023.
"The decline is mainly due to the high number of Israelis who emigrated from Israel in 2024," he said, adding that in 2024, about 82.700 residents left Israel, compared to 55.000 in 2023.
By December 31, 2024, Israel's population was estimated at 10.027 million, the report said, surpassing the 10 million mark for the first time.
Israel has also been rocked by political turmoil. In 2023, it was rocked by mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government's controversial plans to overhaul the country's judicial system.
A war against Hamas in Gaza then began after the Palestinian militant group led brutal attacks that killed more than 1200 people and kidnapped more than 250 on October 7, 2023.
Israel is also fighting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, which began firing on Israel on October 8, 2023, as well as conflicts with Iran, the Houthis in Yemen, and militants in Syria and Iraq.
