Israel’s defense spending (military expenditure) as a percentage of GDP in the years leading up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack showed a general downward trend, fluctuating between approximately 4.5% and 5.9% from 2010 to 2022. This data is sourced from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a leading authority on global military spending. Below is a year-by-year breakdown:
• 2010: 5.9% 
• 2011: 5.8% 
• 2012: 5.7% 
• 2013: 5.6% 
• 2014: 5.8% 
• 2015: 5.5% 
• 2016: 5.5% 
• 2017: 5.5% 
• 2018: 5.3% 
• 2019: 5.2% 
• 2020: 5.6% 
• 2021: 5.2% 
• 2022: 4.5% 
From 2010 to 2022, U.S. military aid (grants and equipment) accounted for approximately 16–20% of Israel’s total defense spending, with an average of about 18% across the period. The proportion was highest in 2016 (~20.6%) and lowest in 2021 (~15.6%), reflecting changes in Israel’s military budget.