Following the struggle for full recognition from the government for former hostages as victims of hostilities, Israeli authorities announced that every released hostage would be automatically entitled to the rights of an IDF disabled veteran or victim of hostile actions, with a 100% disability rating, as well as lifetime medical treatment.
Following joint efforts by the Defense Ministry, the National Insurance Institute, and the Missing and Captive Persons Bureau at the Prime Minister's Office, with the involvement of the Justice Ministry and the Finance Ministry, a memorandum for amending the law on payments to released hostages was published Thursday.
According to the proposed change, any hostage – civilian or soldier – who was kidnapped on October 7 and returned alive from captivity will be automatically entitled, without needing to appear before a medical committee, to the same rights as an IDF disabled veteran or a victim of hostile actions with a 100% disability rating.This recognition is permanent and includes all rights, including mental support, medical, employment, education, housing, car, full tax exemption, and other areas. It is emphasized that every released hostage kidnapped on October 7 will be entitled to lifetime medical treatment funded by the state.
Inspired by true experiences
The amendment is based on the situation of hostages who returned after a long period of captivity and a holistic approach to their care, taking into account the rehabilitation and medical experience accumulated during recent efforts to treat and support the returnees. This experience shows the complex and traumatic situation they endured, with far-reaching physical, mental, and functional consequences. Public comments will be accepted for 21 days.
During a committee discussion on the promotion of women's status and gender equality earlier this week, painful testimonies were heard from families of returned hostages, alongside promises from government representatives that they claim have "dragged on for months." Relatives of the hostages who testified in the discussion expressed deep frustration with the government's handling of the matter: "We feel the state is not with us."
While families of released hostages are forced to launch crowdfunding campaigns to fund medical treatments and physical and mental rehabilitation and mainly to create certainty, government ministries have still not reached an agreement on official recognition of the hostages' disabilities at a 100% disability level instead of 50%. The families are crying out, "The state is forcing us to finance our own rehabilitation," and are fighting back against the government.
