Israeli casualties of war

Overview of Israeli casualties during armed conflict From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Israeli casualties of war, in addition to those of Israel's nine major wars, include soldiers and security forces personnel killed in "miscellaneous engagements and terrorist attacks", which includes security forces members killed during military operations, by fighting crime, natural disasters, diseases, traffic or labor accidents and disabled veterans whose disabilities contributed to their deaths.[1] Between 1948 and 1997, 20,093[2] Israeli soldiers were killed in combat, 75,000 Israelis were wounded, and nearly 100,000[3] Israelis were considered disabled army veterans. On the other hand, in 2010 Yom HaZikaron, Israel honored the memory of 22,684 Israeli soldiers and people of the Yishuv killed since 1860 in the line of duty for the independence, preservation and protection of the nation, and 3,971 civilian terror victims.[1][4][5] The memorial roll, in addition to IDF members deceased, also include fallen members of the Shin Bet security service, the Mossad intelligence service, the Israel Police, the Border Police, the Israel Prisons Service, other Israeli security forces, the pre-state Jewish underground, and the Jewish Brigade and the Jewish Legion (which served in the British army in World War II and World War I respectively).

Israel Defense Forces Former Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz salutes Yom Kippur War casualties at an official annual memorial service for fallen soldiers.

According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Anti-Defamation League, a total of 1,194 Israelis and foreigners were killed[6][7] and 7,000 wounded[8] between September 2000 and August 2010 by Palestinian terror attacks (most of them during 2000–2005 Second Intifada); while more than 3,000 Israelis[9][10] have been killed and 25,000 have been wounded as a result of Palestinian violence and hostile enemy action (without including wars) since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 until today. Another 685 Jewish residents of Mandatory Palestine were killed between 1920 and 1947 as a result of Arab riots, British anti-Zionist operations and World War II attacks.[11][12] Palestinians killed 1,074 Israelis and wounded 7,520 between 2000 and 2005.[13]

The following tables summarize Israeli casualties by war, conflict, or incident.

Prior to Israel's founding

Conflicts with Arabs

More information Conflicts prior to Israel's independence, Military deaths ...
Conflicts prior to Israel's independence Military deaths Civilian deaths Total deaths Military and/or Civilian wounded Total casualties
Battle of Tel Hai 0 6 6 0 6
1920 Nebi Musa riots 0 5 5 216 221
1921 Jaffa riots 0 47[14] 47 146 193
1921 Jerusalem riots 0 5 5 Unknown Unknown
1929 Buraq riots 0 133 133 339 472
1933 Palestine riots 0 0 0 Unknown Unknown
1936–1939 Arab revolt 0 415+[15] 415 1,200+ 1,615
Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine* At least 34 members of Palmach[16] Unknown 50–100 Unknown Unknown
1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine 895 408[citation needed] 1,303+ 2,000[17] 3,303
*Conflict was against the British
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Sinking of ships carrying Jewish immigrants

In the White Paper of 1939 the British government limited Jewish immigration to Palestine to 75,000 over the following five years.[18] European Jews were anxious for ways to leave Europe, but for the most part there were few options. No countries were willing to take Jewish immigrants. However, some Eastern European states were willing to give transit visas. During World War II, many countries denied or severely limited Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust, and Palestine was one of the few destinations available.[19]

In post-Holocaust Europe, the 1,000,000 Jewish survivors were classified as "non-repatrifiable" by the Austrian and German government. In other words, Jews were not "officially allowed to leave the countries of Central and East Europe" by the allied powers, nor were they permitted to settle in Palestine by the British.

An unknown number of Jewish refugees perished en route from European ports to Palestine, and over 30,000 holocaust survivors who successfully immigrated were interned by the British in POW camps.[20] Many immigrant ships were sunk during the British blockade.[citation needed]

Note: Graph is not comprehensive

More information Casualties attributed to Britain's naval blockade of Mandatory Palestine, Deaths ...
Casualties attributed to Britain's naval blockade of Mandatory Palestine Deaths Survivors
SS Patria (sunk by the Jewish paramilitary group Haganah) 260[21] 1,510
MV Struma (sunk by Soviet submarine in the Black Sea in World War II) 785[22] 1[14]
SS Bulgaria 280 70
MV Mefküre (sunk by Soviet submarine in the Black Sea in World War II) 345 5
SS Exodus 3 4,512
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Regular conflicts

Bold indicates conflicts considered wars by the Israeli Ministry of Defense (as they were named by Israel):[23] Italic indicates ongoing conflicts.

More information Conflict, Military deaths ...
Conflict Military deaths Civilian deaths Total deaths (not including foreigners) Military and/or civilian wounded Total casualties
1948 Arab–Israeli War 4,000 2,400 6,400[24] 15,000[25] 21,400
1951–1955 fedayeen attacks including Retribution operations Unknown Unknown 400[26]-967[27] 900[26]-1,300[28] 1,300–2,267
1956–1967 fedayeen attacks Unknown Unknown 178[11] 1,574+[29] 1,752+
1968–1987 fedayeen attacks Unknown Unknown 567[11] Unknown Unknown
Sinai War (1956) 172[30] 0 172 899 1,072
1966 attack on Samu (1966) 1 0 1 10 11
Six-Day War (1967) 776[31] 20[32] 796 4,517 5,293
War of Attrition (1967–71) 1,424[citation needed][33][better source needed] 227[34] 1,651 2,700 4,251+
Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon (1968–1982) Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Yom Kippur War (1973) 2,656 0 2,656 9,000 11,656
1978 South Lebanon conflict (1978) 18[35] 0 18 113[35] 131
First Lebanon War (1982–1985) 657 10 667 6,500[36][37][better source needed] 7,167
Security Zone in Lebanon Campaign (1985–2000) 256 90 636 1,200 1,836
First Intifada 1987–1993 60[38] 100[38] 160 500 660
Palestinian political violence 1993–2000 170[39] 99 269 400 669
Second Intifada (2000–2008) including Operation Defensive Wall, 2004 Israeli operation in Rafah and 2004 Israeli operation in the northern Gaza Strip (fatalities since the outbreak of the Second Intifada and until the 2008 Gaza War) 332[a][9] 731[9] 1,063 8,800[40][41] 9,863[42]
2000–2006 Shebaa Farms conflict 16 7 23 19 42
2006 Lebanon War 121 44 165 2,067 2,237[43]
Gaza War (2008–2009) 10[44] 3 13 518 531
Current Palestinian and foreigner violence in Israel and the Palestinian Authority and Gaza Strip (since 19 January 2009) including the 2012 Gaza War (excluding the 2014 Gaza War and the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis) 18[45][46][47][48] 52[49][50][51][52][53][54] 70[6] 322[55][56][57][58] 392+
2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash, Hanikra border clash and Golan clashes 4[59][60][61] 1[62] 5 17[62][63][64][65][66] 22
2014 Gaza War 67[67] 5 72 530 602
2021 Israel–Palestine crisis 1 10 11 119 130
Gaza war 829[b] 888[75] 1,717 25,836[c][77]
Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–2024) and 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon 87[d][e] 46[83] 133
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Terror and other attacks 1948-1967

Main article: List of attacks against Israeli civilians before 1967

Terror and other attacks 1968–1987

Main article: Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon

Note: Table is not comprehensive

More information Terrorism and other attacks 1968–1987, Military deaths ...
Terrorism and other attacks 1968–1987 Military deaths Civilian deaths (including foreigners) Total deaths Military and/or Civilian wounded Total casualties
El Al Flight 253 attack (1968) 0 1 1 1 2
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine attacks Athens Airport following the El Al Flight 426 hijacking. 0 1[citation needed] 1 1 2
September 1968 Tel Aviv bombings 0 1 1 71 72[citation needed]
November 1968 Mahaneh Yehuda car bomb attack 0 12 12 52 64[citation needed]
February 1969 Jerusalem bombing 0 2 2 20 22[citation needed]
October 1969 Haifa apartment bombings 0 4 4 20 24[citation needed]
February 1970 El Al bus attack 0 1 1 8 9[citation needed]
13 February 1970 Swissair Flight 330 attack 0 47[84] 47 unknown 47+
Avivim school bus bombing (1970) 0 12 12 25 37[citation needed]
Dawson's Field hijackings 0 0 0 1 1[citation needed]
1971 bombing Ben Yehuda attack 0 0 0 0 0
Sabena Flight 571 (1972) 5[85] 0 5 1 6[85]
1972 Lod Airport massacre 0 26 26 80 non-Israelis 106+[citation needed]
1972 Munich massacre 1 11 12 0 12
1974 Kiryat Shmona massacre 0 18 18 Unknown 18+
1974 Ma'alot massacre 0 27 27 78 105
Hijacking of TWA Flight 841 2 86 88 0 88
1974 bombing Ben Yehuda attack 0 0 0 13 13
10 February Munich airport attack 12 0 12 0 12[86]
Savoy Hotel attack (1975) 3 8 11 Unknown Unknown
1975 Ben Yehuda attack 0 15 15 77 92
April 1976 bombing Ben Yehuda attack 0 0 0 0 0
1976 bombing Ben Yehuda attack 0 0 0 33 33
Hijacking of Air France Flight 139, precipitating Entebbe raid 1 4 5 14 19
Coastal road massacre (1978) 1 38 39 71 110+
1979 bombing Ben Yehuda attack 0 1 1 13 14
1979 Nahariya attack 1 5 6 Unknown Unknown
1980 Misgav-Am attack 1 4 5 15 25
1981 bombing Ben Yehuda attack 0 0 0 1 1
1982 Tyre suicide bombing 75 27 102 55 157
1983 Tyre suicide bombing 28 32 60 40 100
Bus 300 affair (1984) 0 1 1 7 8
1984 bombing Ben Yehuda attack 0 0 0 0 0
1985 Ras Burqa massacre 0 7 7 4 11
1985 Egypt Air attack 0 60 60 unknown 60
1987 Northern Border attack 6 0 6[85] 8 14
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Attacks against Israeli diplomatic missions

More information Terrorist attacks against Israeli diplomatic missions, Other deaths ...
Terrorist attacks against Israeli diplomatic missions Israeli deaths Other deaths Total deaths Israeli and/or foreigner wounded Total casualties
1969 Israeli embassies attacks[citation needed] 0 0 0 3 3
1970 Israeli Consulate attack in Asuncion[citation needed] 1 0 1 1 2
1972 Israeli Embassy attack in Brussels[citation needed] 0 0 0 1 1
1972 Embassy attack in Istanbul[citation needed] 1 0 1 0 1
1972 Israeli Embassy employee attack in London[citation needed] 1 0 1 0 0
Bangkok Israeli embassy hostage crisis (1972)[citation needed] 0 0 0 0 0
1973 Israeli Embassy Air Force Attache attack in Washington[citation needed] 1 0 1 0 1
1979 Israeli Ambassador assassination attempt in Lisbon[citation needed] 1 0 1 3 4
1981 Israeli Embassy attack in Vienna[citation needed] 0 0 0 1 1
1982 Israeli Embassy Attache assassination in Paris[citation needed] 1 0 1 0 0
1982 Israeli Ambassador assassination in London[citation needed] 0 0 0 1 1
1982 Israeli Embassy Charge d'Affaires kidnapping attempt in Malta[citation needed] 0 0 0 1 1
Quito Israeli Embassy bombing (1982)[citation needed] 0 2 2 1 3
1982 Israeli Consulate attack in Sydney[citation needed] 0 0 0 2 2
1984 Israeli Embassy attack in Cairo[citation needed] 0 0 0 1 1
1984 Israeli Embassy Interest Section Chief attack in Colombo[citation needed] 0 0 0 0 0
1984 Israeli Embassy attack in Cyprus[citation needed] 0 0 0 0 0
1985 Israeli Embassy employee attack in Cairo[citation needed] 1 0 1 2 3
1986 Israeli Embassy employee attack in Cairo[citation needed] 1 0 1 3 4
1988 Israeli Embassy attack in Manila[citation needed] 0 0 0 0 0
1988 Israeli Embassy failed attack in Nicosia[citation needed] 0 Several policeman Unknown Unknown Unknown
1992 Israeli Embassy employee assassination in Ankara[citation needed] 1 0 1 0 0
1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing 4 25 29 242 271
1994 Israeli Embassy attack in Bangkok[citation needed] 0 1 1 0 0
1994 London Israeli embassy bombing 0 0 0 20 20
1997 Israeli Embassy attack in Amman[citation needed] 0 0 0 2 2
1998 Israeli Embassy failed attack in Brussels[citation needed] 0 0 0 0 0
Berlin Israeli consulate attack (1999)[citation needed] 0 0 0 0 0
2004 Tashkent suicide bombings 1 4 5[87] 5+[88] 10+
2008 Nouakchott Israeli embassy attack 0 0 0 3[89] 3
2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats 0 0 0 4[90] 4
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Suicide bombings

Main article: List of Palestinian suicide attacks
Aftermath of the Jaffa Road bus bombings. 26 people were killed in the Hamas suicide attack.

From 1993 to 2003, 303 Palestinian suicide bombers attacked Israel. More than 80% of all suicide bombings occurred after the year 2000. 55% of all suicide attacks were deemed "successful" – that is, resulted in killing themselves and injuring or killing others.[citation needed] Suicide bombings constituted just 0.5% of Palestinian attacks against Israelis in the first two years of the Second Intifada, though this percentage accounted for half of the Israelis killed in that period.[91]

More information Year, Realized suicide bombing attacks ...
Year Realized suicide bombing attacks Killed Wounded
1994 4 38[citation needed] 75
1995 4 35[citation needed] 150
1996 5 67[citation needed] 161
1997 5 24[citation needed] 359
1998 2 3[citation needed] 28
1999 2 0[citation needed] 0
2000 4 6[40] 10
2001 35 85[40] 323
2002 60 220[40] 119[92]
2003 26 142[40] 105
2004 15 55[40] 172
2005 7 23[40] 63
2006 4 15[40] 31
2007 1 3[93] 0
2008 2 1[94] 22
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Between 2000 and 2006, 521[40] suicide bombing plots were thwarted by the Israeli Defense Forces and 540 Israelis were killed by suicide bombings.[40]

Non-combat military casualties

171 Israeli soldiers have been killed in training exercises and non-combat roles since 1977.[95][96]

Wars ranked by total deaths

An IDF medical crew evacuating an injured soldier from the battle field during the Yom Kippur War. The Israel Defense Forces suffered 2,565 fatalities and more than 7,200 soldiers were injured.
  1. 1948 Arab–Israeli War
  2. Yom Kippur War
  3. War of Attrition
  4. Gaza war
  5. Six-Day War
  6. 1982 Lebanon War
  7. Suez Crisis
  8. 2006 Lebanon War

Timeline chart

Israelis killed.[97]

Gallery of memorials

Gallery

See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Including police officers
  2. [b]
    Including: 59 Israel police officers, and 10 Shin Bet personnel who died in Israel and Gaza,[68] and additional 8 security forces who died in operations in the west bank during the war.[69] also Including additional 11 IDF soldiers and 7 police officers killed by Palestinian attacks in Israel and the west bank
  3. [c]
    including at least 5,705 soldiers (as of 8 feb. 2025)[76]
  4. [d]
    IDF casualties:[78][79]
  5. [e]
    The number includes 7 IDF killed in Lebanon and the North of Israel from operational accidents[80][81][82]

References

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