‘World provide chain of arms’
The US was Israel’s largest provider of military-related imports in the course of the conflict, accounting for greater than 42 % of the whole declared worth recognized on this investigation, in response to the ITA information.
India ranked second, accountable for about 26 %.
These two nations accounted for greater than two-thirds of the whole worth of arms imports recorded.
The following three greatest suppliers had been Romania (8 %), Taiwan (4 %) and the Czech Republic (3 %).
Member states of the European Union collectively accounted for almost 19 % of the whole worth of Israel’s weapons-related imports.
An additional almost 8 % got here from East and Southeast Asia, together with Taiwan, China, South Korea, Vietnam and Singapore.
The info additionally reveals shifts in provide patterns over time.
From January 2022 to September 2023, two of the three largest consignments to Israel value a mixed 80.9 million shekels ($22.3m) below the HS code for explosive munitions got here from Azerbaijan. This fell to a complete of 8.2 million shekels ($2.3m) in the course of the genocidal conflict on Gaza.
Arms and munitions value 40.4 million shekels ($11.1m), originating from the Netherlands below the identical HS code, had been despatched to Israel in August 2022; against this, Dutch navy exports to Israel throughout the complete conflict had been value 105,000 shekels ($29,000).
A spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of International Affairs informed Al Jazeera that “the export of navy items to Israel is barely accepted for purely defensive functions”.
However Al Jazeera’s evaluation signifies that a number of different nations considerably elevated the size of their military-related items imported into Israel in the course of the conflict in contrast with the previous 21 months, the earliest interval obtainable because of the ITA information solely relationship again to 2022.
That features the highest 5 suppliers of military-related consignments: the US, India, Romania, Taiwan, and the Czech Republic.
It additionally contains smaller portions of navy provides from nations that publicly backed the ICJ’s January 2024 ruling.
China, as an illustration, stated it hoped the provisional measures ordered by the court docket can be applied successfully. Nonetheless, military-related shipments to Israel originating from China totalled 71.1 million shekels ($19.6m) in the course of the conflict, with roughly 83 % of that worth logged after the court docket ruling.
Al Jazeera contacted the Chinese language authorities for remark, however had acquired no response by the point of publication.
Singapore famous that ICJ orders are usually “binding”, and stated it had supported UN resolutions calling for an “quick humanitarian truce or ceasefire”. However Israeli customs information reveals 20.2 million shekels ($5.6m) in military-related imports from Singapore in the course of the conflict, 88 % of which had been recorded after the ICJ determination.
Switzerland reiterated its help for the ICJ’s function within the peaceable settlement of disputes, and “full respect for worldwide legislation”. However 9 million shekels ($2.5m) value of Israel’s navy imports in the course of the conflict originated within the Central European nation, with 98 % of the whole registered following the ruling. The Swiss authorities, in an announcement, confirmed to Al Jazeera that licences for “particular navy items have been granted”.
Even nations that had been among the many strongest pro-Palestinian voices on the world stage had military-related items originating from their territories enter Israel in the course of the conflict – even when the portions had been a lot smaller – in response to the ITA information.
Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated he hoped Israel’s assaults on ladies, youngsters and aged individuals would finish. Navy-related items originating from the nation totalled 7.5 million shekels ($2.1m), with 79 % recorded after the ICJ order.
The Turkish authorities informed Al Jazeera in an announcement that, from Could 2, 2024, “exports, imports, free zone commerce, and transit commerce from Türkiye to Israel throughout all product teams have been fully halted” and that “commerce with Israel has been at zero” since that date.
It additionally stated “no arms export permits had been granted to Israel by Turkish authorities” after October 7, 2023.
Israeli customs information reviewed by Al Jazeera does present that entries via Israel’s Ashdod port stopped after Could 2024, following Turkiye’s announcement that commerce had been suspended. Nonetheless, military-related items recorded as originating from Turkiye continued to enter Israel by way of Ben Gurion airport and Haifa port after that date, in response to the ITA information.
Brazil, likewise, confused that the ICJ’s measures had been legally binding and known as for full and quick compliance. However military-related shipments originating from the nation totalled 8.7 million shekels ($2.4m) in the course of the conflict, nearly 80 % of that after January 2024.
Brazil’s Ministry of International Affairs informed Al Jazeera the nation had not accepted any new defence-related export requests to Israel since February 9, 2023. Nonetheless, it stated sure classes – together with some firearm parts, equipment, small-calibre ammunition, defence-related manufacturing inputs and navy coaching gear – usually are not topic to prior approval by the International Ministry.
Patrick Wilken, a researcher at Amnesty Worldwide, stated the size of Israel’s navy marketing campaign made such worldwide help indispensable.
“There is no such thing as a method that Israel alone may have sustained the depth of its large bombardment throughout the Gaza Strip,” he stated. “Israel has relied on a world provide chain of arms, munitions and help providers, primarily equipped by the US however supported by many different states.”
Because the conflict continued, weapons-related imports to Israel elevated. The info seems to bear that out.
The primary 4 months – between October 2023 and February 2024 – noticed the bottom variety of imports all through the genocidal two-year conflict.
Because the conflict dragged on, with tens of hundreds of civilians killed, colleges and universities bombed, and hospitals struck, that modified.
In March 2024, the navy imports of 121.7 million shekels ($33.5m) had been greater than double the quantity from December 2023. South Korea’s largest consignment of the interval entered Israel this month, with 14.0 million shekels ($3.8m) in tank and armoured car elements, in response to the ITA information.
In Could 2024, as Israeli forces pushed into the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah, the ICJ ordered Israel to halt its offensive there, citing an “immense threat” to the Palestinian inhabitants.
However Israel’s armoury was nonetheless filling up. Consignments surged once more, a brand new file excessive since October 2023, reaching about 141.7 million shekels ($39m). Bulgaria’s largest cargo of the conflict arrived that month, 20.1 million shekels ($5.5m) in explosive munitions, whereas the Czech Republic recorded its greatest month total for military-related exports to Israel, value 10.5 million shekels ($2.9m).
Arms suspensions, embargoes
Because the conflict continued, lots of of hundreds of individuals internationally’s greatest cities took to the streets demanding an finish to the preventing and calling on their governments to halt arms exports to Israel.
Many states introduced arms embargoes – government-imposed restrictions on the sale or switch of weapons and navy gear to a particular nation. Others opted for extra restricted suspensions of arms gross sales, sometimes momentary or partial halts utilized to sure licences or classes of kit.
Anna Stavrianakis, a professor of worldwide relations on the College of Sussex and skilled on the worldwide arms commerce, stated public strain performed a decisive function in pushing governments to reassess their export insurance policies.
“In a number of circumstances, it has been public protest, labour organising and strategic litigation that has compelled arms-exporting states to rethink or prohibit transfers,” she informed Al Jazeera.
In the UK, a case introduced by Al-Haq, an NGO based mostly within the occupied West Financial institution, and nonprofit World Authorized Motion Community (GLAN), and supported by Amnesty Worldwide and others, challenged Britain’s arms exports in court docket.
In Spain, dockworkers refused to deal with ships reportedly carrying navy gear certain for Israel, prompting authorities to dam or examine shipments.
In Canada, demonstrations and strain from lawmakers preceded a parliamentary vote calling for a halt to transfers, after which the federal government paused new permits. In France, large-scale protests intensified scrutiny of arms gross sales.
Stavrianakis added that these debates inside nations uncovered tensions between governments’ strategic commitments to Israel and home calls for to make sure compliance with worldwide authorized obligations.
Martin Drew, an skilled in export controls, argued that restrictions on arms exports weren’t an alternative to authorized measures to ban weapons gross sales.
“A authorities can create restrictions on export licences,” he stated. “However that’s coverage quite than legislation. It means they’ll nonetheless authorise exports in the event that they select to.”
In apply, most defence contracts embody a clause stating that supply is “topic to export licence approval”. If a licence is revoked, shipments could also be paused or cancelled, he stated. But when a authorities solely stops issuing new licences, current licences might stay legitimate, permitting beforehand accepted exports to proceed.
Drew stated the kind of licence additionally issues.
Within the UK, for instance, a Customary Particular person Export Licence (SIEL) covers a particular cargo of a particular merchandise. If that licence is suspended, the export stops. Nonetheless, this may increasingly even be appealed.
However different licences, such because the UK’s Open Particular person Export Licences (OIELs) or Open Normal Export Licences (OGELs), can cowl a number of shipments over a set interval. These broader licences can stay in pressure even after political bulletins about “suspensions”, relying on how the coverage is applied.
There are additionally wider industrial penalties. Defence firms and accomplice governments depend on provide chains that function over a number of years, usually linked to multiyear procurement contracts and lengthy manufacturing timelines. If a rustic suspends export licences unpredictably, it could face reputational and industrial dangers.
“Main defence contracts rely on belief,” Drew stated. “If patrons assume it’s possible you’ll not fulfil your commitments, they might flip elsewhere.”
He added that giant weapons programs, together with jet programmes, sometimes run over years, and generally a long time, counting on export orders to unfold prices and maintain manufacturing. Disrupting licences by way of suspensions or embargoes can due to this fact have an effect on not only a single cargo, however the viability of complete manufacturing strains.
The result’s that governments usually attempt to steadiness political strain, authorized threat and industrial pursuits, which might produce insurance policies that seem restrictive in public statements however are narrower in apply.
Spain
Underneath Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Spain turned considered one of Israel’s most vocal critics within the EU, calling for a ceasefire and backing worldwide authorized motion.
In January 2024, Spain’s overseas minister stated the nation had not offered any weapons to Israel for the reason that begin of the conflict, insisting an embargo was already in impact. However a legally binding embargo was not written into legislation till October 2025, the month the newest “ceasefire” was introduced.
Israeli customs information reviewed by Al Jazeera recorded 99 shipments of military-related items originating from Spain value 21.6 million shekels ($5.9m) by then. Its largest consignment, 4 million shekels ($1.1m) labelled below the HS code for explosive-type munitions, entered Israel in December 2023.
Al Jazeera contacted the Spanish authorities for remark, however had acquired no response on the time of publication.
Canada
Ottawa adopted Spain’s instance, saying in January 2024 that it might cease approving new arms exports to Israel. The coverage was formalised in March 2024, following a parliamentary vote referencing the ICJ’s provisional measures.
Nonetheless, the ultimate wording of that movement fell wanting demanding a whole halt to all navy commerce. As a substitute, it requested the federal government to cease approving new authorisations and transfers.
Critics say this “watered-down” language has allowed military-related imports to proceed getting into Israel.
Between October 2023 and October 2025, Canada recorded 23 shipments of military-related items to Israel value roughly 1.7 million shekels ($458,000). Nineteen of those shipments had been logged within the ITA information as occurring after the parliamentary vote calling for an finish to arms exports to Israel.
The Canadian authorities informed Al Jazeera that it doesn’t touch upon the specifics of particular person export allow functions or transactions as a consequence of “industrial confidentiality”.
The World Affairs Canada stated it had not accepted any new permits for objects that may very well be used within the genocidal Gaza conflict since January 8, 2024, however acknowledged that “not all exports from Canada require an export allow”.
It additionally stated all permits suspended in 2024 stay so and can’t be used to export to Israel.
Canadian officers didn’t say whether or not military-related shipments recorded in Israeli customs information had been imported into Israel below permits accepted earlier than January 2024.
France
Consultants say France selected political signalling over a binding ban. On October 5, 2024, President Emmanuel Macron known as for a halt to arms deliveries to Israel, saying the precedence was to return to a political resolution and cease supplying weapons utilized in Gaza. The assertion marked considered one of France’s strongest public interventions of the conflict.
However it didn’t quantity to a authorized embargo.
The month earlier than Macron’s announcement, 19 million shekels ($5.2m) of military-related items originating from France entered Israel, considered one of 29 consignments to Israel between October 2023 and September 2024.
France’s exports to Israel didn’t cease even afterwards.
The ITA information reveals 25 shipments entered Israel after France introduced a halt in deliveries. In complete, 49.9 million shekels ($13.7m) in military-related items arrived in Israel, with 92 % of that worth recorded after the ICJ ruling.
Al Jazeera contacted the French authorities for remark however acquired no response on the time of publication.
Italy
Days after Macron’s announcement, Rome additionally stated it had suspended shipments of navy gear linked to the genocidal conflict on Gaza, framing the transfer as momentary quite than everlasting.
Nonetheless, after the arms suspension was introduced, 33 further consignments had been recorded, persevering with till the month earlier than the “ceasefire”, in response to the ITA information. These post-announcement imports by Israel had been value 5.1 million shekels ($1.4m). Through the conflict, Italy’s complete of military-related items to Israel was value 24 million shekels ($6.6m) throughout 98 consignments.
The Italian authorities informed Al Jazeera it had adopted a “notably restrictive” strategy to exports to Israel, “particularly in comparison with the stance adopted by different accomplice nations, together with inside the European Union”.
Italian officers additionally stated Italy was “among the many few nations worldwide” to “function a dual-layer preventive management system: not solely on export licences, however – even previous to that – on the conclusion of contracts”.
The federal government stated, following evaluations of licences accepted earlier than the conflict, “one licence in regards to the export of naval ammunition supplies for demonstration and testing functions solely was first suspended and subsequently revoked as a precautionary measure”.
Nonetheless, it added that “the remaining beforehand authorised licences weren’t suspended, because the supplies involved don’t current traits enabling their use in opposition to the civilian inhabitants in Gaza, the West Financial institution or Lebanon”.
Germany
Arguably Israel’s strongest ally in Europe, Germany tightened its arms coverage solely close to the top.
Between October 2023 and October 2025, it exported 100 consignments to Israel value roughly 43.5 million shekels ($12m).
In August 2025, Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated Germany would not authorise exports that may very well be utilized in Gaza “till additional discover”.
By then, most exports had already taken place, and Gaza was in ruins. A month after Merz’s assertion, the third-largest recorded single consignment, value 2.9 million shekels ($794,000), arrived at Ben Gurion airport.
The German authorities informed Al Jazeera in an announcement: “The Federal Authorities decides on the granting of licences for arms exports on a case-by-case foundation and within the gentle of the precise circumstances, following an intensive evaluation that takes under consideration overseas and safety coverage concerns in accordance with authorized and political pointers. This additionally applies to Israel.
“In doing so, the Federal Authorities takes under consideration compliance with worldwide humanitarian legislation. Specific consideration can be given to the recipient nation, the kind of navy gear and its meant use.”
United Kingdom
In early 2024, the UK – historically considered one of Israel’s strongest allies – began shifting its place, after it formally voted for a UN Safety Council decision calling for a short lived ceasefire.
Just a few months later, Keir Starmer was elected prime minister on a platform that known as for an “pressing” and “quick ceasefire”, whereas MPs from inside the new governing occasion known as for an arms embargo.
Nonetheless, in September 2024, the federal government introduced solely a partial suspension of arms provide. It suspended 29 arms export licences after concluding the gear is perhaps utilized in critical violations of worldwide humanitarian legislation, with some 350 licences remaining energetic.
The UK authorities has beforehand stated it didn’t implement a full arms embargo because of the sale of F-35 jet elements, which might disrupt worldwide provide chains. This was upheld by the Excessive Courtroom.
Nonetheless, Al Jazeera’s evaluation reveals shipments recorded below military-related customs codes which are unrelated to plane elements additionally continued to enter Israel.
Between October 2023 and October 2025, 28 consignments value 6.7 million shekels ($1.8m) entered Israel. Probably the most invaluable got here properly after repeated UK requires a ceasefire. In June 2025, a consignment value 1.9 million shekels ($535,000) entered Israel – the biggest single cargo recorded within the ITA information analysed since 2022.
The UK authorities informed Al Jazeera: “As introduced to Parliament in September 2024, we suspended licences for all objects that we assess may very well be utilized in navy operations in Gaza, apart from the particular measures with regard to the worldwide F-35 programme.
“Exports of such gear stay suspended, and since then over 50 licence functions have been refused or rejected on the identical foundation. Customs information doesn’t precisely replicate export licence information and is due to this fact unreliable on this case.”
Al Jazeera’s investigation doesn’t try to match particular person customs shipments to particular UK export licences.
Information obtained by Al Jazeera via Freedom of Data (FOI) requests additionally reveals further routes via which UK-origin fight plane elements may have reached Israel by way of third nations.
The paperwork present that the UK accepted exports below what are often called “third-party” or incorporation licences. These licences permit British defence firms to ship parts to producers in different nations, the place they’re built-in into accomplished weapons programs which are then exported to Israel.
Between October 1 and December 31, 2024, the UK authorised licences value 69,000 kilos ($92,000) for parts for navy coaching gear routed by way of the US, 5,000 kilos ($7,000) in periscope parts and associated expertise routed via Germany and two consignments for fight plane parts value 196,000 kilos ($263,000) shipped by way of Italy for onward switch to Israel. These licences, for delivery by way of Germany and Italy, had been labelled nonextant as of June 6, 2025.
A separate FOI response reveals that the UK continued approving incorporation licences involving the US in 2025, with Israel listed as a possible finish vacation spot.
Between January 1 and September 30, 2025, the federal government authorised a number of licences protecting parts for fight plane, aero engines, concentrating on programs and navigation gear, with a mixed worth working into the lots of of tens of millions of kilos. A number of of the biggest licences – together with approvals value 269.2 million kilos ($360m), 63.8 million kilos ($85m) and 39 million kilos ($52m) for fight plane parts – listed Israel amongst a variety of potential final finish customers alongside the US and European allies.
Individually, two licences value a mixed 530,000 kilos ($710,000) explicitly named Israel as the only real final finish consumer, protecting parts for concentrating on gear and navy steering and navigation programs.
The UK authorities additionally confirmed to Al Jazeera that it “doesn’t perform end-use verification checks abroad as soon as the licence is issued”, relying as an alternative on pre-export threat assessments.
The exports for incorporation licences to Israel by way of third nations don’t seem within the UK authorities’s publicly reported figures for arms gross sales to Israel.
Campaigners say incorporation licences can obscure the last word vacation spot of UK-made parts and have criticised what they describe as a scarcity of transparency in how such exports are recorded.
Short-term ceasefire: A time to rearm
Between January 19 and March 18, 2025, a short lived ceasefire and alternate of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners took impact. It was the second pause within the conflict.
In line with the information analysed by Al Jazeera, a number of the largest single weapons consignments recorded in the course of the conflict arrived throughout this era, suggesting that the pause in preventing might also have created house for resupply and replenishment.
In February 2025, customs data present a cargo valued at 605 million shekels ($16.6m) entered Israel via the port of Haifa. Categorised below codes for tank and armoured car elements, it was the only largest weapons-related import recognized on this investigation.
The info suggests the cargo arrived whereas the primary 2025 ceasefire was nonetheless in impact. In complete, 233 million shekels ($64.1m) of tank or armoured car elements arrived in Israel in the course of the genocidal conflict, accounting for 7.24 % of all exports, in response to the ITA information.
Sam Perlo-Freeman, a navy and arms commerce specialist, stated the information indicated Israel might have been in search of to replenish provides in the course of the ceasefire. “A surge like this may increasingly point out they wanted emergency or diversified provides,” he stated.
Patrick Wilken, a researcher at Amnesty Worldwide, stated giant deliveries throughout pauses in preventing can replicate the necessity to substitute weapons which have already been used.
“Given the sustained nature of the operations, there might have been provide pressures at totally different factors,” he stated.
Analysts say such replenishment cycles replicate logistical realities on the bottom: it’s more durable to maneuver giant portions of weapons throughout energetic bombardment, so lulls permit forces to resupply extra effectively.
