"A Stain That Will Not Be Erased"
Moral Disgrace: Coalition Blocks Bill Granting $4 Million Aid to Hostage Survivors as Families Resort to Crowdfunding
The Israeli governing coalition defeated a bill that would have provided a NIS 4 million grant to hostage survivors for rehabilitation, leading to accusations of a "moral disgrace" as families are forced to crowdfund their recovery costs.
Israel’s governing coalition defeated a bill intended to provide immediate and comprehensive financial assistance to survivors of Hamas captivity and the families of hostages who perished. The bill, which proposed a one-time grant of NIS 4 million (approximately $1.1 million USD) per survivor and family of a deceased hostage for rehabilitation and treatment, was voted down by a margin of 50 opponents to 40 supporters today (Wednesday).
The dramatic legislative failure comes amid widespread public awareness that many survivors have been forced to launch mass crowdfunding campaigns to finance their essential psychological and physical treatments.
State Turns its Back
The proposed legislation, submitted by Blue and White faction chairwoman MK Pnina Tamano-Shata, aimed to provide a substantial measure of security and support. The defeat of the bill drew an immediate and furious response from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“We express deep disappointment in the Coalition’s decision to defeat the bill intended to provide immediate aid to the returned hostages and the families of the fallen hostages,” the Forum stated. “This decision painfully proves that in the moment of truth, the returned captives are once again left behind and alone.”
The Forum highlighted the agonizing choice facing the survivors: “While the families are forced to turn to mass crowdfunding to finance the reconstruction of their lives, the state chooses to turn its back on them and not provide even the most basic response.” They further argued that by failing to provide this essential support, the state continues to shirk its responsibility to those most severely harmed by the October 7 failure.
"A Stain That Will Not Be Erased"
Opposition leaders harshly condemned the coalition's vote. Yesh Atid party leader Gadi Eisenkot labeled the defeat a "moral disgrace."
"Those who were abandoned under the watch of this government on October 7th are being abandoned by it again today," Eisenkot stated. "There is money for unnecessary ministries, political machinations, and coalition funds, but for the rehabilitation of people who went through a hell in Hamas captivity? The priorities of this government are distorted, and today’s vote is a stain that will not be erased. Our duty to rehabilitate them is not a matter of grace, but a supreme national obligation."
MK Tamano-Shata also attacked the majority: “The Coalition turned its back on the returned captives and the families of the fallen and defeated my proposal to remove the stain from us as a society... Instead, it leaves them to turn to crowdfunding and rely on the goodwill of the public."
Current State Support
It should be noted that approximately six weeks ago, the National Insurance Institute and the Prime Minister’s Office released details of a long-term, comprehensive support framework for the returned captives and their families. This existing support structure includes:
Despite this framework, many survivors and their families have publicly confirmed they still need to resort to public fundraising to meet immediate and specialized needs, underscoring the gap the proposed NIS 4 million grant sought to fill.