The workers had been part of a government labor export program aimed at providing jobs and foreign exchange for Malawi.

However, due to the economic crisis in Malawi, many Malawians are unemployed, and hundreds have traveled to Israel for work.

The workers were in breach of their contracts and had abandoned their legal employment, according to Kunkuyu.

Since November, over 400 Malawians have gone to Israel for work, but some have been left without jobs.

The text reports that Israeli farms have lost thousands of laborers following the October 7 Hamas attacks in Gaza, which resulted in the kidnapping of about 240 people, including dozens of foreign workers.

Malawi, a country that supplies labor to Israel, warned its remaining workers against breaching their contracts and bringing disrepute to the country.

Four of the twelve Malawian workers who were held in Israel returned home on Tuesday, while the other eight were expected to arrive the following day.

The labor deal has faced criticism from rights groups and Malawi's opposition.

In November 2021, Malawi's opposition leader, Kondwani Nankhumwa, criticized the government for signing a labor export deal with Israel, calling it an "evil transaction." The Malawian government, however, assured that the agreement would adhere to existing regulatory frameworks.

Two weeks prior, Malawi opened an embassy in Tel Aviv, and Foreign Minister Nancy Tembo emphasized the long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries.

The labor deal is expected to provide employment for 3,000 Malawian workers initially.