Ahead of the return of 20 Israeli hostages after more than two years in Hamas captivity, the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday detailed the financial and rehabilitation package the state will provide to each survivor.
According to the plan, each freed hostage will receive a one-time grant of 60,000 shekels (about $16,000) and a lifelong monthly stipend of around 9,000 shekels ($2,400). They will also be entitled to a home-purchase grant of 250,000 shekels ($67,000), which is expected to increase to 300,000 shekels ($81,000) if the government approves raising recognized disability rates for former hostages from 50% to 100%. In addition, they will receive up to 150,000 shekels ($40,000) in assistance toward buying a new car every three and a half years, depending on their disability level.
In addition, each survivor will receive full coverage for medical treatments, psychological rehabilitation, alternative therapies, and vocational retraining, as well as funding for education, property tax reductions, and discounts on electricity and water bills. Family members will also receive additional financial and welfare benefits.
Hostages who are residents of the Gaza envelope region will receive replacement housing through the government’s Tekuma rehabilitation administration.
Civilian returnees will receive their entitlements through the National Insurance Institute, while released soldiers, security personnel, and local defense volunteers will receive identical benefits via the Defense Ministry.
“These rights are enshrined in law as part of Israel’s long-term commitment to all hostages and returnees,” said the Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office. “They include a resettlement grant, a replacement income for the first year, a lifelong compensation stipend, and a 50% lifelong disability pension—without requiring a medical committee.”
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The directorate stressed that assistance will be “personal, continuous, and sensitive,” adding: “This is ongoing support based on deep recognition of the price paid and the need to care for those who suffered. The journey does not end with their return—families still need guidance, rehabilitation, and support, whether their loved ones come home alive or for a dignified burial.”
New legislation to expand recognition and benefits
A government bill—advanced by the Defense Ministry, National Insurance Institute, and Hostages Directorate—aims to amend the Hostage and Released Captives Law to raise recognized disability rates from 50% to 100% permanently.
The bill, already approved by the cabinet and moving toward second and third readings in the Knesset’s Labor and Welfare Committee, would significantly increase disability pensions and the total scope of financial and rehabilitation support.
Recent legislation also broadened the rehabilitation framework for the families of freed hostages, recognizing them as secondary victims of the trauma endured during captivity. Under the plan, family members will receive 2,000 shekels ($540) for travel expenses, paid through a social worker, and 4,500 shekels ($1,200) per month for household assistance for three months. They will also be entitled to income compensation for two months if a family member lost wages while caring for a returning hostage. In cases of extended hospitalization, families will be eligible for additional reimbursements as specified in government regulations.
The law also guarantees a three- to four-year rehabilitation framework for families, including mental health care, emotional support, and professional or educational assessments. Additional benefits cover prescription drugs, medical consultations, dental care, travel reimbursements for treatments, recovery grants, complementary medicine, private surgeries, fertility treatments, and funding for higher education or professional training.
Families may also apply for business recovery loans or grants and for exceptions through a special committee.
National centers to ensure proactive support
A Family Support Service Center within the National Insurance Institute has been established to ensure implementation of these rights and to provide proactive, ongoing assistance. The Defense Ministry provides equivalent support for the families of soldiers and security personnel who were taken hostage.
Mental health benefits will be provided at the highest level allowed by law, and additional therapeutic and emotional support will be available for extended family members through partnerships with the Welfare Ministry, National Insurance foundations, the Center for Terror Victims, and other organizations—including the “Family Circle” program and specialized treatment programs at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.