Gaza border residents one year later: 52% unsatisfied with gov't, 70% unsure about returning

A report by the Homeward Forum, an organization of eleven of the southern communities hardest hit in the October 7 attack, found that residents are still severely impacted by the fallout of the attack.

Some 29% reported that someone in their immediate family was injured, taken hostage, or killed on October 7. Respondents said that 90% of the respondents were harmed in health, and 97% were harmed in mental resilience.

Thirty percent of the residents lost their source of income, 75% reported that their financial situation was harmed, and 77% of respondents said they are helped by the state with finding and funding housing.

While 80% said that they are interested in living in the Gaza border region again, more than 70% said that they were not sure about this and debated whether returning was the right thing.

Residents were not satisfied with how Israel's government handled the situation and cared for them, with 52% expressing that they were not satisfied. However, trust in local leadership was high, with 95% expressing that they trust the leadership of their towns.

Eighty-six percent of the residents said that the community is an anchor for them, but 83% reported that their social situation has deteriorated since October 7.

Urgent needs within Gaza border communities

The report highlighted a number of urgent needs, including immediate and ongoing mental health support for residents and their families; economic aid to cover basic necessities and for financial rehabilitation; plans to increase security and the sense of security; temporary housing; and job placement and employment support.

"We expect of the government and Knesset that they will immediately advance solutions for the destroyed houses, bring the [revival] law for Knesset approval, and promote a plan for appropriate compensation to those harmed by the October 7 attacks," said forum chairman Ziv Mazliach.

"We demand certainty in budgets to rebuild and plan for the future," the forum said in the report, which also called for solutions, and the formation of a ministerial committee to coordinate efforts for the Gaza border region.

"We emphasize again - there will not be a revival without the return of our brothers and sisters held hostage."

"As we mark the first year since October 7, it is important to us to look the complex reality, the hostages who are not with us, the brokenhearted communities straight in the eye," said Vered Libstein, a resident of Kfar Aza, whose husband, son, mother and nephew were killed in the attack.

"Along with this we must create a horizon and hope for another, better reality of revival of the Gaza border area," she added.  

The forum said the poll was conducted among 540 residents of the forum's towns, which represents a representative sample of the 6,000 people who live in these towns.