The Tekuma Authority — the government body responsible for rebuilding towns and communities near the Gaza border after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack — and Ukraine’s Ministry for Communities and Territories Development are set to sign a memorandum of understanding Thursday on cooperation in postwar reconstruction, the two sides said.
The signing will take place in the presence of Ze’ev Elkin, the minister overseeing the Tekuma Authority, and Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Taras Kachka, who is making his first visit to Israel. The agreement aims to establish professional work channels and facilitate the exchange of expertise on rebuilding infrastructure, restoring communities and towns, multi-sector partnerships and the use of innovation and technology in disaster recovery.
On Wednesday, a Ukrainian delegation visited Kibbutz Be'eri, one of the communities hardest hit in the Oct. 7 assault, to view the destruction left by Hamas terrorists and examine the reconstruction of neighborhoods expected to be resettled in the coming year. The delegation also toured a temporary neighborhood built from scratch in Kibbutz Ruhama for residents of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, another community near the Gaza border evacuated after the attack.
Ukrainian officials said they were impressed by Israel’s ability to construct an entire project — from infrastructure and buildings to fully furnished temporary homes — while minimizing bureaucracy, which allowed for simpler planning processes and rapid completion.
The visit also focused on community resilience and its role in rebuilding towns and local populations. Delegates discussed public participation in decisions about community recovery and physical reconstruction. At the end of the tour, members of the delegation thanked their hosts and said they plan to implement some of what they learned in Ukraine.
Aviad Friedman, head of the Tekuma Authority, said the visit underscored shared challenges. “We believe both countries have much in common when it comes to rebuilding towns and communities at this time and welcome the mutual cooperation,” he said.
“We can offer Ukraine the knowledge and experience we have gained in rehabilitating the Gaza border region, simplifying processes, building quickly while considering community needs and emphasizing resilience, choice and psychological recovery as essential components of reconstruction.”