Israeli Casualties in Battle and Terror Attacks (1851-Present)

A total of 25,420 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 30,649.

Since Yom HaZikaron - Israeli Memorial Day 2024, 319 IDF soldiers and security personnel died, while 61 disabled 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
War Of Independence	1947-1949	6,373
Sinai Campaign	1956	231
Six-Day War	1967	776
War of Attrition	1968-1970	1,424
Yom Kippur War	1973	2,688
First Lebanon War	1982-1985	1,216
Second Palestinian Intifada	2000-2005	328
Second Lebanon War	2006	117
Operation Cast Lead	2008-2009	10
Operation Pillar of Defense	2012	1
Operation Protective Edge	2014	73
Operation Iron Sword	2024-2025	928
Terrorist Attacks	1851-Present	5,229
Other		11,251
Total: 30,649*

*This number includes disabled IDF veterans who later died from their wounds and non-IDF personnel who fell in the line of duty.

In 2025, there were 58,617 bereaved family members: 8,674 bereaved parents, 5,391 widows, 10,302 orphans, and 34,250 siblings. In addition, there were another 2,346 parents, 1,058 widows and widowers, 4,753 orphans, and 6,155 siblings who lost their relatives in terror attacks.

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).