Kissufim Says 90% of Residents Will Return Home This Week as Knesset Tracks Gaza Border Recovery

In a joint Knesset meeting on Tuesday reviewing reconstruction in the Tekuma region, Kissufim community leader Lior Carmel announced that the kibbutz is returning home this week after three years of evacuation. He said the community endured 18 murders, 29 soldiers killed in action, and 26 homes completely destroyed. "90% of the residents are returning now, and the remaining 10% will come later," Carmel said. Committee chair MK David Bitan replied, "We did it because you deserve it."

The meeting, held by the Economic Affairs Committee and the State Control Committee, covered the broad progress of recovery in the Gaza border area, including health access, planning and construction barriers, agricultural compensation, and the return-home grants. At the start, Bitan asked about the transfer of grant funds. Tekuma Authority deputy head Aviel Pansaporkar said the budget deal with the Finance Ministry was complete and that the support test was being prepared. He said it should take about a month before the money reaches residents. Nirim community manager Maya Liberman thanked the committee for being a "very strong and helpful pressure" on the process.

On agricultural compensation, Tax Authority representative Amir Yonati said 80% of claims on the "pink" track had been completed, with 411 million shekels paid, and nearly 70% of the more complex "red" track had been processed, including 681 cases handled, 169 still open, and 950 million shekels paid. He said delays stem from staffing shortages caused by the security situation. Eshkol Regional Council head Michal Peleg Uzayo sharply criticized the pace, saying farmers have been stuck on the same 80% figure for a long time and that 20% of applicants still have no answer. Union of Farmers representative Yaron Solomon said compensation has effectively become a single cumbersome red track.

The discussion also touched on blast damage and cracks in buildings, where Liberman said even new homes built five to seven years ago are suffering severe cracking and dampness. MK Alon Schuster requested any official report on the issue and said a follow-up meeting would be held with the head of the Tax Authority compensation fund. On planning, Peleg Uzayo and Shaar Hanegev deputy head Adam Azran said old bureaucratic tools are slowing accelerated development, while planning officials said many temporary housing orders have been approved and that the complaints would be reviewed. Tekuma construction chief Nir Mesika said the authority added 10 million shekels to speed up committee work and advance budgets.

Health access was another major focus. Tekuma health lead Eti Samama said the five-year plan includes 715 million shekels, of which 256 million are for availability and access to health services, but she called recruiting doctors and medical teams to remote areas the biggest challenge. Clalit southern district head Hedva Emunah said Clalit received 50 million shekels, about 7% of the total budget, renovated 11 clinics, and opened new clinics in Sderot and Sha'ar Hanegev. Schuster said the committees will continue monitoring and will soon hold separate sessions on long-term health and mental health services, as well as on compensation.