Military data shows rise in number of Haredi troops drafting to IDF

The IDF has seen an increase in the number of ultra-Orthodox men who have been drafted into the military over the past year, reaching some 4,000 new Haredi soldiers.

Before the war, which began with Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, around 1,800 Haredi soldiers were drafted annually.

Between July 2023 and July 2024, some 2,200 Haredi men were drafted to the IDF. A year later, up to July 2025, that number reached 2,800.

In the past year, at least 4,000 ultra-Orthodox soldiers have been drafted, according to the military’s data.

The military says the data is not yet final, as the July 2025-July 2026 draft period has not yet been completed. Still, the IDF appears to be getting close to its goal of drafting 4,800 Haredi soldiers per year.

The IDF’s numbers may be inaccurate, as the data on who is counted as ultra-Orthodox is drawn from the education system, which lies outside its purview.

The dispute about the ultra-Orthodox community serving in the military is one of the most contentious in Israel, with decades of governmental and judicial attempts to settle the issue having failed to achieve a resolution. The Haredi religious and political leadership fiercely resists any effort to draft young men, who have in the past been granted exemptions from serving.

Around 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted. The IDF has said repeatedly that it urgently needs 12,000 new recruits amid the ongoing multifront conflict.