Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich

Israel’s war expenses reach $76.3B in 2 years, official figures show

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Israeli tanks and military vehicles are seen deployed with some military vehicles, helicopters, and drones patrolling along the border region following the implementation of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces inside the yellow line in Sderot, Israel on October 14, 2025. [Mostafa Alkharouf – Anadolu Agency]

Israel’s military expenses surged to $76.3 billion since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict two years ago, official data showed on Tuesday, Anadolu reports.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, citing finance ministry data, said that the war expenses have so far totaled 250 billion shekels ($76.3 billion).

According to senior ministry officials, the defense establishment misused reserve service days, leading to “the waste of billions of shekels” in payments to reservists during service periods.

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told a press conference on Tuesday that it was “necessary to increase the defense budget to enable growth in Israel’s economy in the coming years,” without elaborating further.

No details were provided on where the expenses were made, though the total is believed to include costs from Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran since October 2023.

The Gaza war came to a halt under the first phase of a ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10, under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan.

Phase one includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, the Israeli genocidal war has killed nearly 69,000 people and injured more than 170,300, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

READ: Israel continues to violate truce: 3 killed in Rafah, airstrikes hit parts of Gaza

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Continue ReadingIsrael’s war expenses reach $76.3B in 2 years, official figures show

Israeli Knesset passes preliminary reading of bill to annex occupied West Bank

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Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich displays a map of an area near the settlement of Maale Adumim, a land corridor known as E1, outside Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, on August 14, 2025. [Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images]

The Israeli Knesset (parliament) passed a bill in its preliminary reading on Wednesday to annex the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports.

A Knesset statement said the bill was approved in a preliminary reading “to apply the sovereignty of the State of Israel to the territories of Judea and Samaria (West Bank).”

The statement said 25 lawmakers supported the bill, introduced by Avi Maoz, leader of the far-right Noam Party, while 24 opposed it. The Knesset has 120 members in total.

The bill still must pass three additional readings to become law. It will now go to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for further deliberations.

READ: Israel shuts down orphan care association in West Bank, seizes equipment

The daily Yedioth Ahronoth also reported that another bill to annex the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc in the occupied West Bank also passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset’s plenary session with 32 votes in favor and nine against. The bill was introduced by Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beiteinu Party.

The vote came despite opposition from US President Donald Trump, who said last month that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. It also came as US Vice President JD Vance is currently visiting Israel.

Annexing the West Bank would effectively end the possibility of implementing a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as outlined in UN resolutions.

Israeli attacks have escalated across the occupied West Bank since October 2023, killing more than 1,056 Palestinians, injuring 10,300, and detaining over 20,000 others, according to Palestinian figures.

In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

READ: US vice president meets with Israeli premier to discuss Gaza ceasefire

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingIsraeli Knesset passes preliminary reading of bill to annex occupied West Bank