Families of October 7 Hostages Still Await Long-Term Support
Three years after the Hamas attack and one year after the last hostage was returned, families of hostages and former captives in Israel are still lacking comprehensive, long-term rehabilitation and support systems, according to Mor Peretz, CEO of the organization 255, Hostages and Families.
The mass abduction of 251 people on October 7th was an unprecedented event in Israel and the Western world. Even after their release, the crisis continues for the hostages and their thousands of family members, who lived in uncertainty and fought for their loved ones' return. The organization 255 held a conference, "From Abduction to Recognition," in Tel Aviv on September 6th to address the reality faced by these families, examining their current rights, existing gaps, and what the state needs to provide.
Peretz explained that the government currently offers support based only on existing laws, which are insufficient for the unique trauma experienced. "Recognition is the first step to rehabilitation," she stated, emphasizing that parents, children, and siblings who had no lives of their own for two and a half years need acknowledgment to begin healing. Many survivors struggle to return to work, relationships, and daily life.
A new report by 255 reveals that 74% of hostage families do not feel financially secure. Liat Klein-Gantz, director of policy and public strategy at 255, noted a significant gap between the families' needs and their current situation, citing emotional long-term consequences and potential financial ruin. She highlighted that expecting families to return to work as if nothing happened is unrealistic, as the trauma is an ongoing process, compounded by the uncertainty of their loved ones' fate.
Unlike in the United States, where a 90-year care budget was allocated for 9/11 victims, Israel has yet to establish a dedicated, long-term framework for hostage families. The Israeli legal system recognizes bereaved families and victims of hostile acts, but the October 7th abductions created a new reality without a specific legal definition or support system for "abduction victims." Klein-Gantz stressed the need for official recognition and tailored support, noting that current aid, like the NIS 9,000 grant for parents of fallen hostages, is inadequate for families enduring such trauma, especially when they also support released captives.
255 advocates for viewing the entire family unit as affected, not just the abductees. Peretz stated that such an event destabilizes relationships and alters family roles, with even extended family members bearing the burden of the struggle and trauma. The organization provides support to second and third-degree relatives who often receive no state assistance. They aim to transition from temporary emergency measures to a long-term rehabilitation approach, in partnership with the Sha'ashua Family Foundation and other organizations.
