Background
On Saturday October 7, 2023, on the holiday of Simchat Torah, the State of Israel sustained an unprecedentedly brutal attack. The assault began with a heavy barrage of missiles and rockets targeting the southern and central regions of the country. Under the cover of these attacks, approximately 3,000 terrorists infiltrated IDF bases and communities in the western Negev. The thousands of terrorists who entered Israel committed horrific and exceptionally cruel acts. They killed hundreds of soldiers and security personnel, murdered approximately 1,000 Israeli and foreign civilians, and carried out heinous crimes against women, men, the elderly, children, infants, and soldiers. Additionally, they wounded thousands, inflicted severe sexual violence on victims, and abducted 251 women, men, and children into the Gaza Strip. The terrorists also targeted property – destroying, burning, and demolishing homes in the communities, factories, equipment, and other assets (hereinafter - the terrorist attack of October 7). In response, a special state of emergency was declared on the home front, and this constituted the beginning of the Swords of Iron War. Due to this attack and the threat of further assaults, several decisions were made regarding the evacuation of the population within a 7-kilometer radius of the security barrier surrounding the Gaza Strip.
In several government decisions made since the terrorist attack of October 7 regarding communities located within 7 kilometers of the Gaza border falling under the jurisdiction of the Regional Councils of Eshkol, Hof Ashkelon, Sdot Negev, and Sha'ar Hanegev, as well as the city of Sderot (hereinafter collectively - the Region for Rehabilitation or the Region) – the government recognized the severe disruption to all aspects of life for the residents of these communities following the terrorist attack of October 7 and affirmed its commitment to their rehabilitation.
In October 2023, shortly after the terrorist attack, the government established the "Tkuma" Rehabilitation Administration (hereinafter also - the Administration) under Government Decision 980. It was tasked with leading the national effort to rehabilitate and develop the Region for Rehabilitation and its residents, as well as providing the necessary solutions to restore normal life to the Region and its communities. In April 2024, the Administration's budget was approved, with a total framework of NIS 19 billion: NIS 14 billion was allocated for rehabilitation projects in the Region (this issue will be examined in detail in the full report to be published in 2025), while the remaining NIS 5 billion was designated for development projects.
In early November 2024, as the audit neared completion, MK Ze'ev Elkin was appointed as a Minister in the Ministry of Finance and was put in charge of the Administration's areas of activity, which were transferred from the Prime Minister's Office to the Ministry of Finance.
The following report presents the key deficiencies identified in the audit regarding the rehabilitation process of the Western Negev settlements, their communities, and residents affected by the terrorist attack of October 7, in order to rectify these shortcomings. Since the audit on this matter is still underway, these are interim findings, to be incorporated into the full report expected to be published in 2025.
It is worth noting that during the audit, it was evident that the Administration's staff – comprising 63 employees as of February 2025 – worked tirelessly and with a strong sense of public responsibility to fulfill their mission and assist the residents displaced from their homes.