In the aftermath of the October 7 tragedy, the National Insurance Institute (NII) has disbursed more than NIS 650 million to 45,000 individuals, including victims, families of abductees, missing persons, survivors near the Gaza Strip, and Nova music festival attendees. This figure excludes security forces, a responsibility handled by the Defense Ministry.
Yarona Shalom, the acting director-general of the NII, outlined the ongoing efforts during a briefing, noting that the absence of a compensation law for national disasters led the institute to adopt a comprehensive approach. Shalom emphasized that the impact on Israel transcends a mere terrorist incident; it constitutes a war on the home front in many aspects.
Despite the absence of legislation specifically addressing national disasters since the Meron tragedy three years ago, in which 45 people lost their lives, the NII has been actively aiding victims within the framework of existing laws related to compensation for victims of hostilities.
An emergency center for war victims has been handling approximately 6,000 weekly inquiries, coupled with around 25,000 online queries through the NII website. The support extended to victims encompasses housing allowances, unemployment benefits for those on unpaid leave, payments to IDF reservists, and ongoing assistance such as retirement payments, nursing care, income assurance, bankruptcies, among others.
Acknowledging instances where individuals wrongly claimed benefits, the NII stressed its commitment to fairness and noted that measures were in place to address such cases. Despite isolated incidents, the focus remains on assisting the vast majority of victims who were present during the tragic event.
Shalom highlighted the NII’s concerted efforts to streamline processes in recent months, involving data collaboration with hospitals, the creation of simplified forms, and enhancements in computerization. Proactive outreach to local council heads, mayors, and individuals housed in hotels due to displacement or loss of homes has been part of the institute’s strategy.
To empower victims, the NII has compiled a booklet detailing their rights, which will be distributed to tens of thousands of affected citizens. Additionally, staff members will visit hotels to provide in-person explanations of these rights.
