Israel News for 9-17-2025
News Update
The IDF announced today that it will temporarily open a second evacuation route for residents of Gaza City to head south, as growing congestion along the main coastal road has slowed movement and raised safety concerns. The route will stay open until Friday. According to Israeli estimates, around 370,000 people have already evacuate Gaza City, and about 500,000 remain. The IDF said, “Hamas is using violence to prevent residents from leaving. We’ve launched extensive aid campaigns. Over 20,000 tents have already arrived [in the south], and more are on the way—along with food, medicine and water. In fact, there are more water lines than before the war.”
The European Commission announced Wednesday it will ask member states to suspend key trade provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and impose sanctions on specific Israeli government ministers. EU member states must now vote on the Commission’s proposals through the Council. Opposition from key nations like Germany and Italy, alongside Croatia, Romania, Greece, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria, has so far blocked the effort. The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner.
Philippines Minister of Defense Gilbert Teodoro announced in parliament in Manilla yesterday that his country intended to stop buying arms from Israel, as a result of political pressure due to the Gaza war. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, between 2019 and 2023, the Philippines was second worldwide for arms purchases from Israel, accounting for 12% of the total. India was in first place, with 37%, while the US was third, with 8.7%. The Philippines will continue to buy Israeli equipment for their existing systems.
According to a new government report, 90% of residents evacuated from Israel’s Gaza border communities after the October 7 massacre have returned home and that 42 of the 47 communities evacuated after the attack are back in place. In Kibbutz Nahal Oz, only about one-third of families have returned. Kibbutz Kerem Shalom, closest to Gaza, has seen 88% of residents return along with six new families. Kibbutz Re’im recorded a 95% return rate and 10 new families. Kibbutz Sufa reported 90% return with six new families, while Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak saw 82% back and eight new families. The government has budgeted a five-year, 17.5 billion shekel plan (about $4.6 billion) to support reconstruction and return.
According to data released today by the Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel’s population stands at 10,148,000: 7.76 million are Jews and others (78.5%), and 2.13 million are Arabs (21.5%). Over the past year, the population grew by around 101,000, or 1%. Among Israel’s Jewish population, 42.7% identify as secular, 33.5% as traditional or observant (most “not very religious”), 12% as religious and 11.4% as ultra-Orthodox. Life expectancy is 81.4 years for men and 85.5 years for women. The survey found that 91.1% of Israelis are satisfied with their lives — including 92.4% of Jews and 85.5% of Arabs.
