Since the devastating events of October 7, over 250,000 Israelis have been displaced, with tens of thousands still unable to return to their homes.
In Kiryat Shmona, a northern city near the Lebanese border, more than half of the buildings lie damaged or destroyed, leaving residents grappling with an uncertain future.
From Kiryat Shmona to Tel Aviv: Israel’s Evacuees Face an Uncertain Future
(Video: Kangwoo Cho, Gabi Hirsch, Lia Ziskovich-Rahman / Bar Ilan University- Communication School)
Among those displaced is Raz, a mother now living in a Tel Aviv hotel with her family. After over a year away from home, she has begun rebuilding her life in central Israel, though the emotional toll remains heavy.
Meanwhile, Yaniv, a 23-year-old rapper from the north, clings to hope of returning despite the widespread destruction.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Volunteers like Naor and social worker Sima have stepped up to support evacuees, offering guidance, organizing activities and providing a sense of stability amid chaos. Yet challenges persist.
According to recent reports, 58% of northern evacuees rate government assistance as insufficient and nearly 70% express hesitation about returning due to safety concerns and inadequate rebuilding progress.
As thousands remain in temporary housing, families face difficult choices: rebuild in the north, start anew elsewhere or wait for promises of recovery that feel increasingly distant. Their stories highlight the human cost of displacement and the resilience required to navigate an uncertain path forward.
- Content distributed by Kangwoo Cho, Gabi Hirsch and Lia Ziskovich-Rahman, Bar-Ilan University School of Communications.