The Indian government announced that since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, more than 20,000 Indian workers have been sent to the occupied territories to replace Palestinian workers whose work permits were revoked after the October 7 Hamas attack.
Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, India stated in the country’s Parliament that from November 2023 to July 2025, about 6,730 construction workers and 44 caretakers were sent to the region under a bilateral agreement between India and Israel.
Another 7,000 caretakers and 6,400 construction workers have also been employed through private channels.
Indian workers, mainly from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, have been attracted to these opportunities because of high wages, up to three times higher than what they earn in India.
However, the plan has been criticized by Indian trade unions, including the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTV), which has called it a “suicidal project and support for the Israeli regime’s occupation policies.”
