Israel reports sharp decline in illegal border crossings from Egypt

The infiltrator population represents just over 10 percent of Israel’s total foreign resident population, which the CBS now estimates at 260,400 people.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israel’s population of illegal border infiltrators has declined to approximately 26,700 people, including children born in the country, as new unauthorized entries have virtually stopped in recent years, according to data released Tuesday by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

The CBS reported that, as of the end of 2024, the infiltrator population consists of roughly 19,600 individuals who crossed illegally from Egypt, plus about 7,100 children born to them during their time in Israel.

The overwhelming majority came from Eritrea and Sudan, with the bureau noting that 82.6 percent arrived from Eritrea and 8.9 percent from Sudan.

The infiltrator population represents just over 10 percent of Israel’s total foreign resident population, which the CBS now estimates at 260,400 people.

This marks the first time Israeli authorities have provided comprehensive demographic data on all categories of foreign residents, following a 2019 cooperation agreement between the CBS and the Population and Immigration Authority.

According to the data, illegal border crossings have essentially halted in recent years.

The CBS stated that new infiltrator entries have almost completely stopped, though it did not provide specific figures on annual border-crossing attempts or successful entries.

The infiltrator population is heavily concentrated in central Israeli cities, with Tel Aviv-Jaffa hosting the largest number at 39.3 percent of the total.

Smaller concentrations live in Petah Tikva (6 percent), Eilat (5 percent), Netanya (4.9 percent), and Bnei Brak (4.9 percent). The population is predominantly male, with men comprising 78.8 percent of infiltrators.

The much larger legal foreign worker population in Israel stood at 156,000 people with valid work permits at the end of 2024, primarily employed in caregiving, construction, and agriculture.

An additional 55,200 foreign residents include students, clergy, volunteers, and their family members, most of whom live in Jerusalem.

The CBS also identified approximately 22,500 tourists from developing countries who remained in Israel after their permits expired, down 5 percent from the previous year.

These individuals entered on tourist visas valid for three months but stayed beyond the authorized period. The largest numbers came from Russia (19 percent), Ukraine (14.7 percent), and Nigeria (8.8 percent).

Israeli authorities define infiltrators as foreign nationals who entered the country illegally through the border with Egypt because that’s where the vast majority of African asylum seekers physically entered the country.

Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula has been the main transit route for years. The decline in new infiltrations follows the construction of a border fence along Israel’s frontier with Egypt, completed in recent years.

The phenomenon of African asylum seekers illegally entering Israel peaked between 2007-2012 with thousands of people primarily fleeing repressive regimes and conflict in Eritrea and Sudan.

Smugglers facilitated the dangerous overland journey, charging thousands of dollars per person. The influx sparked intense domestic debate in Israel over asylum policy, national identity, and the treatment of refugees.

Infiltrators from Lebanon and Syria are regarded as “security threats,” while those from Jordan are typically referred to as “illegal border crossers.”