More than 69,000 Israelis left the country in 2025 amid the prolonged shadow of Israel’s wars with Gaza and Iran, marking the second consecutive year in which Israel recorded a negative migration balance, according to a year-end report released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

The CBS reported that despite the outflow, Israel’s total population climbed to a record 10.178 million residents by the end of 2025—an increase of approximately 112,000 over the previous year—driven overwhelmingly by natural population growth rather than immigration.

According to the data, Israel’s population includes 7.771 million Jews and others, a category that includes non-Arab Christians and residents not classified by religion, accounting for 76.3% of the population. Arabs number 2.147 million, or 21.1%, while an additional 260,000 residents, about 2.6%, are classified as foreigners.

Migration figures, however, paint a far more sobering picture. The CBS said 24,600 new immigrants arrived in Israel in 2025—roughly 8,000 fewer than in 2024. The figure differs slightly from the 21,900 immigrants reported earlier this week by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.

At the same time, approximately 19,000 Israelis returned to the country after extended periods abroad, and 5,500 people entered Israel through family reunification. Even with those inflows, Israel posted a net migration loss of roughly 20,000 people for the year.

The trend follows an even sharper demographic blow in 2024, when 82,700 Israelis left the country, outpacing arrivals by about 50,000. Demographers note that for most of Israel’s history, immigration has consistently exceeded emigration, with notable exceptions during periods of economic strain in the 1950s and 1980s.

The current wave of departures comes amid sustained military conflict, repeated reserve call-ups, economic uncertainty, and security concerns that have reshaped daily life across the country. While the CBS report does not analyze motivations, the timing aligns with the escalation of fighting in Gaza and tensions with Iran.

Population growth in 2025 was driven primarily by births rather than migration. The CBS recorded 182,000 births during the year, with 76% born to Jewish mothers and 24% to Arab mothers. Meanwhile, 50,000 residents died, a slight decline from the 52,000 deaths recorded in 2024.

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