The Israeli government on Sunday approved a 60 million shekel (about $20 million) plan to continue rehabilitation and support for survivors of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on two music festivals.
The three-year plan promoted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will provide continued medical, mental health, employment and social support to thousands of survivors and their families, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
The PMO said some 3,600 festival survivors have been officially recognized as victims of hostile actions, with the rates of injuries and disabilities indicating “long-term consequences that necessitate ongoing tailored support, treatment and rehabilitation.”
Under the plan, survivors will receive assistance through a centralized support system that will help them access benefits, coordinate therapy and ensure continuity of care through the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs.
The outline also expands medical and mental health services, improves access to emergency mental health care and establishes dedicated substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, in addition to boosting support for survivors’ families.
It also calls for rehabilitation and employment integration pathways through the Labor Ministry, the Israel Employment Service and the National Insurance Institute.
The government said it would continue developing a digital platform to coordinate services across government agencies. An interministerial committee of ministry directors-general will oversee the plan’s implementation, with a dedicated official within the Prime Minister’s Office coordinating the government’s efforts.
“The plan is designed to ensure that in the coming years after the disaster, survivors of the southern festivals will continue to receive a coordinated, accessible and tailored government response, as part of the State of Israel’s ongoing commitment to accompany them through the process of rehabilitation and returning to normal life,” stated the PMO.
Thousands of people were attending the Nova and Psyduck music festivals near Gaza when Hamas-led terrorists launched their cross-border assault on Oct. 7, 2023. They killed hundreds of festivalgoers and abducted dozens into the Gaza Strip.
In addition, participants in a preparatory meeting for the annual Midburn festival were recognized by the state as victims of hostile acts. About 120 organizers had gathered at Tal Or Farm, between Kibbutz Re’im and Urim, when the Hamas-led assault began on Oct. 7. As they fled the area, some came under terrorist gunfire, and organizer Hagit Refaeli Mishkin was killed.
