After Hamas attack, the number of Israeli women applying for a gun permit triples to 42,000

More than 42,000 women have applied for gun licenses in Israel following the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, and 18,000 of them have been approved. This significant increase in the number of women applying for gun licenses is attributed to a sense of insecurity following the Hamas attack.

According to the Ministry of Security, the number of applications is more than three times higher than the number of applications made by women before the war. However, feminist groups criticize this rush for weapons.

The rise in gun ownership has been fueled by the loosening of gun laws under Israel’s right-wing government and its far-right security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir. According to the ministry, more than 15,000 civilian women in Israel and the occupied West Bank now own a firearm, and 10,000 of them are taking mandatory training.

Political scientist Limor Gonen expressed a change of perspective to AFP: “I never thought about buying a gun or getting a permit, but since October 7, things have changed a bit.”

Gonen, who had completed a mandatory weapons course, added: “We were all the target (on October 7) and I don’t want to be surprised, so I’m trying to defend myself.”

Under Ben Gvir’s leadership, the process of obtaining a weapons license was sped up, with Israeli media reporting that authorities often issued hundreds of permits a day immediately after the Hamas attack.

The requirements for owning a gun in Israel are now citizenship or permanent residency over 18 years of age, basic knowledge of Hebrew, and a medical certificate. However, the full list of requirements makes it nearly impossible for non-Jews to obtain a permit.

However, many organizations and activists condemn this policy of easier access, arguing that it could lead to an increase in murders and violence.

Despite the criticism, some women feel safer now that they have access to firearms. Yahel Reznik, a 24-year-old community manager, said she now feels “much safer” in Ariel, a West Bank settlement. “Thanks to my training, I will be able to defend myself and protect others from attacks,” she told AFP.


The October 7 attack that sparked the war left 1,194 people dead in Israel, most of them civilians, according to official Israeli figures. In response, the Israeli retaliatory offensive in Gaza killed at least 37,431 people, also most of them civilians, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.