Around 16,000 Indian workers have replaced Palestinians in Israel’s construction sector in 2024, as part of the Israeli government’s strategy.

The Israeli construction sector relies significantly on foreign labour, the majority of which is Palestinian. However, more than 80,000 Palestinian labourers have been banned from entering Israel due to security reasons since the start of the war–following the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023,

As a result, the Israeli sector faces a shortfall that is estimated to be in the tens of thousands.

To fill a labour gap, the Israeli government and employment agencies have reached out to India, utilising its sizable worker pool to meet the demand in the construction sector.

Subsequently, an employment drive was carried out in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Many Indian workers have grasped the opportunity for higher pay in Israel, where they can earn three times more than in India.

“Reports received by our offices reveal that the majority of Indian construction workers are satisfied with their work conditions and salaries,” the Israeli Embassy said in a post on X in September.

Dynamic Staffing Services, led by chairman Samir Khosla, has successfully recruited over 3,500 Indian workers for the Israeli market, with plans to increase to 10,000 more, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on Tuesday, December 31.

One of the Indian workers in Israel, Raju Nishad — wearing a safety belt and helmet — told AFP that air raid warnings temporarily interrupt his work, but do not deter him.

Another Indian worker Suresh Kumar Verma, who works north of Tel Aviv, said, “Making money is necessary… It’s important to continue working hard for the family’s future.”

Eyal Argov of the central Bank of Israel warns that despite a recruitment drive, the number of Indian workers in construction still falls short of pre-war levels, potentially causing delays due to Israel’s growing population.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following Hamas‘ Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the Israeli regime, which has been oppressing Palestinians for decades.

Since then, the Israeli attack on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 45,541 Palestinians, primarily women and children, and injured 108,338 others, with thousands more missing and presumed dead.