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'Strategic threat': Israel faces healthcare brain drain as 1,369 doctors leave in three years

By · Via Middle East Eye · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The Israeli healthcare system is experiencing a significant brain drain, with 50 doctors leaving the country within the first 15 months following the 2023 Gaza attacks. A new survey by the IMA found that 1,369 physicians have left Israel for more than a year, and another 53 have specialized abroad, posing a grave threat to the country's public health system.

Key points

  • The Israeli healthcare system faces a severe brain drain.: The Israeli healthcare system faces a severe brain drain.
  • The professional organization representing most physicians in Israel found 50 doctors lef…: The professional organization representing most physicians in Israel found 50 doctors left the country.
  • Another 53 physicians specialized abroad, not returning to Israel within the agreed-upon…: Another 53 physicians specialized abroad, not returning to Israel within the agreed-upon timeframe.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

At least 50 Israeli physicians left the country in the first 15 months after the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023 and Israel's subsequent genocide in Gaza, a new survey shows.

The survey, which was conducted by the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) in 32 hospitals and medical centres across Israel, showed a trend of physicians emigrating out of Israel, with Israeli health officials warning of the grave consequences this trend could have on Israel's public health system.

The IMA published the survey during an emergency meeting on physician emigration, following a recent Tel Aviv University report that found that between 2023 and 2025, 1,369 physicians left Israel for more than a year.

According to the IMA, the professional organisation representing most physicians in Israel, in addition to the 50 physicians it found left the country, another 53 physicians went to specialisations abroad and did not return to Israel within the agreed-upon timeframe.

Read more: 'Strategic threat': Israel faces healthcare brain drain as 1,369 doctors leave in three years

Original source: www.middleeasteye.net

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