The military has no idea how extensive the problem is, Aliza Lavie, chairwoman of the Knesset sub-committee on combating human trafficking and prostitution, said on Wednesday.

She added that the Israel Defence Forces must identify and aid those engaged in the sex industry because it is "unacceptable and does not match the values of the IDF".

Lavie was addressing a joint meeting of her sub-committee and the sub-committee on foreign affairs and defence.

The survey - conducted for the labour and social services ministry - showed that there are between 11,420 and 12,730 sex workers nationwide.

They are composed of approximately 95 per cent women and five per cent men.

About 11 per cent of the female prostitutes were said to be minors, while two-thirds of the women began working in the world's oldest profession due to desperate financial situations.

Data from the ministry and the Elem-Youth in Distress in Israel organisation indicate that 30 per cent of those aged 18-22 are involved in prostitution - ages that coincide with recruitment into the army, active service and shortly following release.

"One of the major problems is that the IDF has no real indication of the number of people engaged in prostitution during their service ," said Lavie.

"Accordingly, the resources allocated to dealing with the phenomenon are limited."

Although prostitution is illegal in Israel, according to a Channel 2 report, the industry brings in £262 million annually.

Moshe Zaretsky, a former Givati Brigade soldier who heads a social organisation, said he is aware of prostitution inside IDF bases.

He spoke of one woman from Givatayim who served in Givati. Needing help to pay the rent, she began to provide sexual services to other soldiers for money.

According to Brigadier General Sharon Nir, the IDF chief of staff's adviser on gender issues, there is no "phenomenon" of prostitution within the IDF.

She described "isolated cases" of three to six soldiers a year found to be involved in the industry.

Nir said the army knows how to identify cases of soldiers who engage in prostitution and provide them with help, giving both financial support and emotional therapy at a centre that can be contacted without the help of a soldier's commander.