Against the background of the war that broke out between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023, we conducted a study that combines administrative data processing with an online survey in order to examine the economic and employment consequences of the war on the residents of the recognized and unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev/Naqab. The research includes the processing and integration of data sources from various administrative bodies, particularly from the Israeli Employment Services, which enables a presentation of a broader picture of the consequences of the war. The data analysis indicates that the war has had negative economic repercussions and has deepened poverty among the Bedouin population in the Negev/Naqab.

The analysis of the survey findings emphasizes the need for differential treatment for the residents of the various Bedouin communities in the Negev. The findings of the survey point to the impact of the war in regard to the economic and occupational security of the Bedouin population in the Negev, which is not homogeneous, but rather varies according to the type of community and is more severe among the residents of the unrecognized villages. The study reveals a need for a program that will focus both on providing physical protection to the villages, and on the distribution of food, supplies, and subsidized medical care and medicines.