Nearly three million Israelis face food insecurity, including one million children, report finds

A report from the National Insurance Institute (NII) shows a slight improvement in access to food across Israel, but it also shows that geographical and economic food inequality persist.

Around 2.6 million Israelis live with food insecurity due to economic conditions, the National Insurance Institute’s (NII) 2024 Food Security Report, which was published on Sunday, revealed.

The report noted that among that number is roughly one million children.

“The findings presented in the report point to a difficult picture regarding the food security of Israel’s residents,” the report stated.

If found that “despite the improvement that occurred in 2024 in levels of food insecurity compared with the previous year, a very high share of households and individuals still live with food insecurity.”

According to the data, the share of households experiencing food insecurity decreased from 30.8% in 2023 to 27.2% in 2024.

Rates fell in both low food insecurity, from 18.4% to 17.2%, and very low food insecurity, from 12.3% to 9.9%. Still, about 900,000 households remain unable to reliably access basic food.

Large regional gaps persist

Northern Israel and Jerusalem continue to record the highest levels of food insecurity, according to the report.

Additionally, household structure played a major role in food security. Families with fewer than two wage earners were 1.5 times more likely to struggle with access to healthy food.

Larger families were at even greater risk, with 39.5% of households with six or more people living with food insecurity. Among single-person households, 31% faced the same challenge.

Income also heavily correlated with food security. In the lowest-income group, 47.6% of households reported food insecurity, compared with only 9.5% in the highest-income group.

The report’s authors, Nitza Kassir, Nadav Sorek, Rina Pines, and Nathaniel Flam, called for a long-term national strategy, writing, “The bleak findings in the report highlight the need to formulate long-term social and economic policy, which will ensure that all residents of Israel have regular access to sufficient quantities of food and to healthy food that does not harm their health.”

The report urged the government to establish multi-year programs, set budgets, and define measurable goals to reduce food insecurity.

This included expanding direct food assistance, such as increasing the distribution of food vouchers, while ensuring oversight, access to nutritious food, and respect for families receiving aid.

“In light of the high poverty rates in Israel, and the close link between economic status and food security, there is also a need to increase subsistence allowances,” the report stated.

The authors of the report stressed the need to expand school meal programs, particularly in areas with the highest levels of food insecurity.

This report is part of a broader series published by the NII Research and Planning Administration that examines social issues shaping quality of life in Israel.

Alongside the annual poverty report, the administration will release a yearly assessment of food security based on survey data collected and analyzed by its survey division. These publications aim to give policymakers in welfare, health, and education an accurate, up-to-date foundation for setting measurable targets and shaping policies to reduce poverty and food insecurity nationwide.