Rebuilding, renewing: Directorate details billions in funds for Gaza border communities

The Tekuma Directorate, tasked with rehabilitating Gaza border communities devastated on October 7, 2023, committed some NIS 7 billion ($1.97 billion) last year to rebuild southern Israel’s Gaza border area, according to a report it issued Monday to mark 500 days since Hamas’s brutal attack.

Of this sum, the directorate designated NIS 1.5 billion ($423 million) for physical reconstruction, with NIS 1.1 billion ($310 million) reserved for the 10 communities worst affected when Hamas terrorists overran the area, murdering some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and abducting 251 to the Gaza Strip.

The bulk of that NIS 1.1 billion was committed to the three worst affected communities, the report said, with around NIS 470 million ($132 million) allocated for Kibbutz Be’eri, NIS 230 million ($65 million) for Kibbutz Nir Oz, and NIS 200 million ($56 million) for Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

Additional funds for development and upgrades worth NIS 200 million were budgeted last year out of NIS 1.4 billion ($395 million) to be spent over five years. According to the report, this was used to improve infrastructure, community defense and public buildings.

Of around 64,000 residents, some 53,000 (83 percent of the total on October 6, 2023), were back home by the end of December 2024, the report said.

However, 13 communities remain housed in temporary accommodation, either for security reasons or because of severe damage. Nine are unable to go home for the same reasons.

Reconstruction is taking place in most of the communities, with the expectation that essential works will be completed by the end of this year.

But for Be’eri, Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, and Holit, completion will only come by the end of 2026.

For the residents of Be’eri, the directorate provided 287 temporary housing units in Kibbutz Hatzerim, west of Beersheba in the Negev desert, as well as six kindergartens, a clinic, offices, a dining room, and a playground, the report said. Additional public buildings were renovated by Kibbutz Hatzerim members for Be’eri residents’ use.

In Be’eri itself, around 70 of the 150 houses scheduled for demolition have been torn down, with some 250 of 400 houses damaged to varying degrees already renovated.

Works have begun to build new neighborhoods: The shells of 10 of 52 housing units planned for the new Shikmim neighborhood are already up. The infrastructure is being laid in the new Ashalim neighborhood, where 12 housing units are planned.

Kibbutz Kfar Aza was given 184 temporary housing units at Kibbutz Ruhama, east of the city of Sderot, and six educational buildings, including existing buildings that were renovated for the community’s use. Contracts have been signed, and building and renovation work is expected to begin at Kfar Aza in the coming weeks.

At Kibbutz Holit, 61 temporary housing units were built at Kibbutz Revivim, along with two public buildings and three for community and educational purposes.

For the Kibbutz Kissufim community, 78 temporary units were built in the Omer neighborhood of Beersheba, along with three kindergartens, offices and a playground. Rebuilding works at Kissufim are scheduled to start next month.

The survivors of Nir Oz, who live in apartment buildings in Kiryat Gat with the state paying for the rent, have not yet completed a building plan.

In other kibbutzim and moshavim, the situation is as follows:

In Nir Yitzhak, Sufa, and Netiv Ha’asara, the damages have been addressed or are being addressed by officials dealing with property taxes.

In Kerem Shalom, 36 homes and three public buildings have been renovated, and work on 24 additional homes will be completed in March. Once that is done, the community will be allowed to return.

In Re’im, repairs to 90 houses damaged to varying extents will be completed within two weeks, and the community will be allowed to return by the end of March.

In Nirim, with works proceeding apace, the community is expected to return by the end of April.

In Ein Hashlosha, renovations are underway on 75 of around 150 houses. Special arrangements are being made for families with homes scheduled for demolition. The report gave no expected date for the community’s full return.

In Nahal Oz, with renovations proceeding apace on 60 homes and works expected to start on another 50 by the end of February, completion is set for July 2025, and a green light is expected then for residents to go home.

In the city of Sderot, the Tekuma Directorate is providing NIS 55 million to upgrade public spaces. This includes improvements to 333 entrances to residential buildings and 10 public buildings across five neighborhoods.

The directorate has expanded medical services to affected communities through the Health Ministry and health maintenance organizations, the report said. The number of hours provided for family medicine has been almost doubled as a result, while the number of hours per capita for psychiatric and pediatric services has risen by tens of percentage points.

Investment grants totaling around NIS 380 million ($107 million) were awarded to 350 commercial farms to expand greenhouses, barns and chicken coops, plant orchards, and finance technology and new mechanized tools.

Around 180 businesses received a total of NIS 111 million ($31.3 million) for capital investment, while NIS 30 million ($8.5 million) was plowed into making communities more energy-independent.