Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday following the approval of a 6.2 billion shekel (~$2 billion) assistance package for Israel Defense Forces reservists for 2026.
The assistance package is in addition to grants already provided to reservists and their families. One-third of families of reservists reported financial hardship due to the demands of military service, a survey by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics in the spring of 2025 found.
Netanyahu emphasized the central role played by reservists in the two years of the recent Gaza war, what he termed the “War of Revival.” The prime minister said that foreign leaders are most struck by the fact that reservists comprise the backbone of Israel’s fighting forces.
“They give their all. And we need to give them our all,” Netanyahu said. The plan, he said, is structured to reward service based on its nature, with a focus on combat soldiers. “They are on the frontlines. We stand with them and will continue to support them.”
Netanyahu thanked Katz and Smotrich for their coordinated efforts to swiftly advance the aid package.
Katz said the government also decided to reduce reserve service days from 60,000 to 40,000 in order to ease the burden on reservists. He added that the expanded benefits package reflects the special reality of large-scale reserve mobilization and the vital support provided by families and employers.
The defense minister stressed that reservists, together with regular and career soldiers, enable Israel’s leadership to make “bold decisions” that have reshaped its strategic position in the region.
Smotrich said the government is implementing the plan immediately, without waiting for final budget approval. He thanked reservists and their families for their sustained sacrifices and urged service members to ensure they receive all benefits to which they are entitled.
He pledged that the government remains committed to achieving victory and translating the reservists’ sacrifices into long-term security, growth and prosperity for Israel.
