Nearly 1,370 Doctors Leave Israeli-Occupied Lands in Three Years – Almost Double the Previous Exodus
Nearly 1,370 physicians left the Israeli-occupied lands for at least a year between 2023 and 2025, with researchers warning that the growing departure of experienced doctors could deepen pressure on the healthcare system.
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Nearly 1,370 physicians left the Israeli-occupied lands for at least a year between 2023 and 2025, almost twice the number recorded during a comparable three-year period a decade earlier, according to research by Tel Aviv University.
The study found that 416 doctors left in 2023, followed by 530 in 2024 and an initial estimate of 419 in 2025. The combined figure represents a 94 per cent increase on the 705 physicians who left between 2013 and 2015.
The scale of the departures is comparable to the medical workforce of major healthcare facilities, highlighting concerns over mounting pressure on the healthcare system amid political instability and continuing regional conflict.
The research was conducted by Tel Aviv University professors Itai Ater and Nittai Bergman, together with doctoral researcher Doron Zamir, using cross-referenced information from population registries, educational records and medical licensing data.
The researchers found that the problem extends beyond the number of doctors leaving. An increasing proportion of those departing are experienced physicians, raising concerns over the loss of specialist expertise and the capacity to train future generations of doctors.
Between 2023 and 2025, 281 doctors aged 45 or older spent at least a year abroad, accounting for about one in five of those who left. A decade earlier, physicians in that age group represented about 14 per cent of departures.
The researchers stressed that spending a year overseas does not necessarily mean permanent emigration. Doctors may leave for fellowships, research or specialist training before returning.
But the sharp rise in longer stays abroad has become a source of concern, particularly as more senior physicians are among those leaving.
The exodus has affected several medical specialties.
Among physicians under 60, the highest departure rate was recorded in ophthalmology, dermatology and ear, nose and throat medicine, where about 9.4 per cent had spent at least a year abroad. Surgeons followed at 8.8 per cent, while paediatricians recorded a rate of 6.4 per cent.
Overall, 188 surgeons left during the three-year period, representing about 6 per cent of surgeons. The researchers also recorded significant departures among paediatricians, internists and other specialist fields.
The Tel Aviv district recorded the largest number of departures, with 429 doctors leaving, followed by the central district with 290 and Haifa with 190. Jerusalem recorded 132 departures, while the southern district recorded 125.
The impact becomes more pronounced when doctors who subsequently returned are taken into account.
After accounting for returning physicians, the research found a net loss of 509 doctors during 2023 and 2024, an average of about 255 doctors a year.
That was nearly five times the average annual net loss of 54 doctors recorded between 2010 and 2019.
Professor Ater warned that the consequences could eventually be felt directly by patients.
“All of us have family members waiting for surgery or other medical care,” he said, according to reports on the study, warning that the departure of nearly 1,400 doctors could translate into longer waiting times, less effective medical care and a deterioration in quality of life.
The researchers’ concerns come against the backdrop of wider political and security upheaval in Israel and across the West Asian region since 2023. The study has also drawn attention to a broader pattern of emigration from the country, with separate research pointing to unusually high levels of Israelis spending extended periods abroad.
For the healthcare system, however, the significance of the figures lies not simply in how many doctors have left, but in who is leaving. With a growing share of experienced physicians among those spending prolonged periods overseas, the loss could affect not only patient care and waiting times, but also the specialist knowledge and teaching capacity needed to train the next generation of doctors.
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