The figure states that almost 384,000 Israelis were unemployed or on unpaid leave due to Covid-19, the institution said in a communique.

According to official data, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, an estimated 150,000 Israelis were unemployed.

In June, the Government ended unemployment benefits for most people under age 45 who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

National media such as The Times of Israel warned that the number of unemployed people could increase due to the new wave of contagions affecting the country and the consequent restrictive measures approved by the authorities.

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