The seven-year initiative declares hard-hit areas national priority zones and expands the Tekuma Directorate to lead reconstruction.
Israel’s Knesset on Monday approved a comprehensive recovery plan aimed at rebuilding communities located within 7 km. (4.3 miles) of the Gaza border that were severely impacted by the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023.
The seven-year policy, proposed by Knesset member Haim Katz and supported by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, designates the affected zones as national development priorities and expands the authority of the Tekuma Directorate to manage recovery efforts.
Under the plan, approximately 5 billion shekels ($1.3 billion) will be allocated for regional infrastructure, welfare and economic projects, including a specific budget for cities such as Ofakim and Ashkelon.
According to Katz, the initiative reflects a commitment to those most affected, while Smotrich emphasized transforming the region into a center of growth.
Image - Graffiti in the Mishor Hagefen neighborhood that was attacked by Hamas terrorists in the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim, Sept. 19, 2024. Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90.