Shocking Numbers: 116 Orphaned by Hamas Massacre

The Knesset Labor and Welfare Committee held a meeting today (Tuesday) on the subject of welfare for children who lost their parents in the war. During the discussion, the Welfare Ministry’s director of orphan issues reported the number of children who lost their parents in the Simchat Torah Massacre.

Committee Chairman MK Yisrael Eichler said at the start of the meeting that “the State of Israel has not dealt with such a situation since the day of its founding, not in numbers and not in essence. There’s no need to explain the importance of sensitivity regarding the care for those children. As a committee, we intend to accompany the parties responsible for this, to aid and be at their disposal for any need that comes to their doorstep.”

Discussion of orphans at the Knesset Welfare Committee. (Photo: Noam Moscowitz, Knesset Spokesperson.)

According to data presented by Rakefet Atzmon, director of orphan affairs in the Welfare Ministry, 20 children under the age of 18 from 12 different families have been left without both their parents. It was stressed that this also includes children whose parents are defined as captives or missing. 96 additional children from 47 families have lost one parent. It was also noted that 18 young adults aged 18-25 lost both their parents in the attack.

Orphans Who Lost Both Parents Will Be Raised by Family

Atzmon also surveyed the care of orphans to the committee, saying “the approach and preference is that family members care for children who lost both parents first and foremost and this is the situation right now. Of these 12 families, most have arrived at a legal agreement as to who will take care of the kids. There is still dispute regarding a limited number of children. Welfare services are trying to arrive at an agreement. If they don’t succeed, we will have to decide based on our legal authority.”

Discussion of massacre orphans at the committee. (Photo: Noam Moscowitz, Knesset Spokesperson.)

She also said that “a social worker has visited all the children under age 18. We are in touch with them, examining their needs, examining how to arrange and help and some have already started a therapy course. To not flood the families who are largely traumatized themselves, it was decided that each family have one all-purpose party to accompany it, helping and getting them in touch with all professional parties.”

Yonatan Bougat of the Samit Institute, which has accompanied foster families in the south said “we need the children to be recognized as foster children officially as soon as possible so that we can provide them with the responses they need. We have the framework and resources for this and we are only waiting for approval. The time factor is critical for children being retraumatized, especially those who are still moving from house to house and who very much need stability.”