A total of 25,644 IDF soldiers, police officers, prison wardens, Shin Bet security service, and Mossad agents have been killed defending the land of Israel since 1860, the year that the first Jewish settlers left the secure walls of Jerusalem to build new neighborhoods. The total, including civilians killed in terror attacks since 1851, is 30,873.
Since Yom HaZikaron - Israeli Memorial Day 2025, 170 IDF soldiers and security personnel died, while another 54 veterans passed away due to complications from injuries sustained during their service. Since there was no specification of which engagement they were involved in, or if they died in a terrorist attack, the number has been added to the total without specifying the cause.
Engagement | Year(s) | Number Killed |
1947-1949 | 6,373 | |
1956 | 231 | |
1967 | 776 | |
1968-1970 | 1,424 | |
1973 | 2,688 | |
1982-1985 | 1,216 | |
2000-2005 | 328 | |
2006 | 119 | |
2008-2009 | 13 | |
2012 | 6 | |
2014 | 74 | |
| Operation Iron Sword | 2024-2026 | 1,152 |
1851-Present | 5,313 | |
| Other | 11,160 |
Sources: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Israel Government Press Office;
IDF;
Haaretz, (April 19, 2015);
“IDF: 56 soldiers died since last Memorial Day, bringing total to 23,741,” Times of Israel, (May 3, 2019).
“Israel comes to a standstill to remember 23,928 fallen,” Times of Israel, (April 13, 2021).
Anna Ahronheim, “56 IDF soldiers and security personnel died in 2021 - Defense Ministry,” Jerusalem Post, (April 29, 2022).|
Emanuel Fabian, “319 soldiers, 79 civilians killed since last Memorial Day,” Times of Israel, (April 25, 2025).
Gal Ganot and Shira Kadri-Ovadia, “Israel Memorial Day 2026: 170 soldiers killed, 79 victims of terror since last year,” Ynet, (April 16, 2026).