Raju Nishad, equipped with a safety belt, helmet, and work boots, skillfully manoeuvres through the scaffolding on a bustling construction site in Beer Yaakov, a developing neighbourhood in central Israel. Tasked with hammering blocks that will soon form part of a new structure, Nishad exemplifies the growing presence of Indian workers in Israel’s construction sector.

While Nishad and his colleagues seamlessly blend into the dynamic construction environment, their participation in Israel’s building industry marks a relatively recent development, reflecting the evolving demographics of the workforce in the region.

The integration of Indian workers into Israel’s construction industry is part of a government initiative aimed at addressing a labour shortage created by the absence of tens of thousands of Palestinian workers. These workers have been barred from entering Israel following the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Had this attack not occurred, the construction site in Beer Yaakov—featuring high-rise towers, homes, roads, and pavements in various stages of completion—would have been bustling with labourers speaking Arabic. Today, however, the site resonates with the diverse languages of Hindi, Hebrew and even Mandarin.

The Hamas attack, during which terrorists killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in southern Israel and took 251 hostages, triggered the deadliest conflict to date between Israel and the Hamas organization in the Gaza Strip. This conflict has significantly impacted Israel’s labour dynamics, prompting the government to explore alternative sources of manpower for critical sectors like construction.

The October 2023 conflict initially centred on Hamas but later escalated to involve other Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen, with instances of direct confrontation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Despite the intensifying geopolitical tensions and associated risks, Raju Nishad, a 35-year-old construction worker, remained undeterred in his decision to come to Israel.

Nishad’s determination underscores the resilience of foreign workers and the critical role they play in sustaining Israel’s construction sector amid challenging circumstances.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of here,” he said, despite several air raid warnings that have sent him running for the shelters.

“Once it (the siren) stops, we just resume our work,” he told AFP.

High earnings in Israel, where some workers can make three times what they would back home, are the key to why people like Nishad flock here, thousands of kilometres (miles) away.

“I’m saving for the future, planning to make wise investments and do something meaningful for my family,” Nishad said.

Raju Nishad is one of approximately 16,000 workers who have arrived from India over the past year to fill critical labour gaps in Israel’s construction industry, with plans underway to bring thousands more. While India is recognised as the world’s fifth-largest economy and one of the fastest-growing, it continues to face challenges in creating sufficient full-time employment opportunities for its vast population.

Indian nationals have contributed to Israel’s workforce for decades, primarily in caregiving roles, tending to elderly Israelis. Additionally, many Indians have established themselves in specialised sectors, including diamond trading and information technology, reflecting a broadening scope of professional engagement between the two nations.

In response to the escalating war in Gaza, recruitment efforts have intensified to bring Indian workers into Israel’s construction industry. Samir Khosla, chairman of Delhi-based Dynamic Staffing Services, has played a key role in this initiative. His organisation, which has facilitated the deployment of around 500,000 Indian workers to over 30 countries, has recently brought more than 3,500 workers to Israel—a new market for the company.

Khosla himself visited Israel for the first time just a month after the October 7 attack, following urgent appeals from Israeli authorities for foreign workers to revitalise the construction sector. The industry had come to a standstill as a result of the conflict, necessitating immediate action to address the labour shortage.

“We didn’t know much about the market, and there wasn’t an incumbent workforce from India here,” Khosla said.

“We really had to move around and understand the needs,” he said, adding that he believed India was a natural choice for Israel given their “excellent relations.”

Khosla now aims to bring up to 10,000 Indian labourers to Israel, leveraging his extensive network of skilled workers across various trades to meet the growing demand in the construction sector.

In nearby Tel Aviv, a group of Indian workers resides in a modest flat, where they not only apply their construction expertise but have also adapted to life in Israel by cooking the spicy dishes they fondly miss from home. This blend of professional skills and cultural adaptation highlights the resilience and resourcefulness of Indian workers as they integrate into their new environment while maintaining strong connections to their roots.

“In a short time, one can earn more money” in Israel, said Suresh Kumar Verma, 39. Like Nishad, he is from India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Verma works on a construction site north of Israel’s commercial capital.

“Making money is also necessary… It’s important to continue working hard for the family’s future.”

Israeli researchers have noted that the influx of Indian workers has not yet compensated for the loss of Palestinian labour, which has significantly impacted the growth of the construction sector. Prior to the Hamas attack, around 80,000 Palestinians, primarily from the West Bank, were employed in construction, alongside approximately 26,000 foreign workers, according to Eyal Argov of the Central Bank of Israel.

Currently, there are around 30,000 foreign workers in Israel’s construction industry, a far cry from the previous workforce levels. As a result, construction activity in the first quarter of 2024 is running about 25 per cent below pre-war levels, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by the sector in rebuilding and expanding.

“These numbers (of Indians) are still very low,” Argov said.

While this does not create an immediate “shortage of housing, it may cause delays in the supply of new housing,” he said.

“Israel has a growing population, increasing by two per cent annually, and this delay might lead to some shortage in the future.”