How Israel's economy is faring eight months into war with Hamas

Despite a contraction after the initial onset of the war, Israel's economy has rebounded dramatically.
One flashpoint raised by the Israel-Hamas War has been the continued exemption of ultraorthodox Jews from military service.
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Possible severing of Israeli-Palestinian banking ties stirs worries

May 28, 2024
If the Israeli finance minister's threat is carried out, the Palestinian economy — and the Palestinian Authority — could be starved of revenue.
Vandalized aid trucks on the Israeli side of a barrier with the West Bank. Before the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, many more Palestinians earned paychecks by working in Israel.
Oren Ziv/AFP via Getty Images

"There is no economic solution for a political problem": The state of the Palestinian economy

Eight months into the Israel-Hamas war, here's what the Palestinian economy looks like.
The war in Gaza has sent massive shockwaves through the already struggling Palestinian economy.
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Pro-Palestinian student protests spread across Europe

May 17, 2024
As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, students are calling for their universities to cut financial and institutional ties with Israel.
Demonstrators march near the University of Amsterdam during a pro-Palestinian protest on May 9.
Ramon Van Flymen/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

With a government shutdown averted, funding for Israel and Ukraine remains in the air

Nov 17, 2023
A bipartisan group of Senators is working on a compromise on immigration that would be included in a broader package of aid for Ukraine and Israel.
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives also passed a $14 billion aid package for Israel, with no funding for Ukraine.
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How one bakery in Gaza is grappling with sparse resources and mounting demand

Nov 9, 2023
Local reports say Israeli airstrikes have destroyed bakeries across the strip, while many of those that remain are struggling to operate due to lack of fuel and flour.
A Palestinian woman makes bread over a fire in Khan Yunis, Gaza on Nov. 6. A lack of fuel and flour has made bread scarce in Gaza.
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A look at the history of U.S. aid to Israel

Oct 23, 2023
The U.S. has given Israel $158 billion since Israel was founded, not adjusting for inflation, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Above, President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the war between Israel and Gaza on Oct. 19. Biden's request for $14 billion in aid for Israel has yet to come before the speaker-less House.
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Israel-Hamas war's human cost is primary, but geopolitical risk to economy persists

Oct 18, 2023
If the conflict widens to include direct confrontation with other nations in the Middle East, the economic shockwaves could be significant.
“The geopolitical pot is just boiling,” said Bernard Baumohl of the Economic Outlook Group. Above, a man walks through debris in Gaza City on Oct. 11.
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Crypto is one way Hamas gets its funding

But it's only one tool for evading sanctions. And it's actually easier to track cryptocurrency movement than you might think.
In April, Hamas announced it would no longer be taking donations in crypto because law enforcement has been able "to trace and track these flows," said Ari Redbord of TRM Labs.
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Israel-UAE deal draws ire, praise and the potential for an economic boost

Aug 14, 2020
There are a lot of opportunities for investment and technology, tourism and trade, Middle East researcher Sanam Vakil says.
The U.S.-brokered deal could lead to an increase in trade and travel for both Israel and the UAE, says Sanam Vakil at Chatham House.
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