Hostages to Receive Monthly Wage as Knesset Passes New Bill

In a significant move, the Knesset has approved a bill to provide monthly compensation to hostages for wages lost since October 7. This legislation enshrines into law the benefits granted as wage replacements for hostages and missing persons, offering vital financial support during their captivity.

The approved bill stipulates that the monthly benefits will be calculated based on the average income of the hostage in the three months before their disappearance. The minimum benefit is set at NIS 7,300, increasing to NIS 9,500 for parents, and capped at NIS 50,000. Importantly, individuals with no income during the determining period will still be eligible for benefits.

Additionally, soldiers who are hostages or missing persons will receive an identical benefit from the IDF, ensuring uniform support across all affected individuals. This bill is set to remain in force until October 2026, with provisions allowing the Minister of Labor to extend it by 12-month periods, subject to the approval of the Knesset Labor and Welfare Committee.

Labor and Welfare Committee Chair MK Israel Eichler (United Torah Judaism) emphasized the bill’s importance: “This is about Jews and foreign nationals who are held as hostages in tunnels in Gaza. What we can do, at the very least, is to give the families and the hostages the help and assistance.”

The bill has garnered support from both the opposition and the coalition, highlighting a unified recognition of the need to support the families of hostages and missing persons. As MK Eichler noted, “This is a government bill that enshrines in legislation the provisions pertaining to wage replacement that has been paid until now to hostages and missing persons. Since the provisions of the agreement expire at the beginning of August, it is proposed to enshrine this in legislation.”

The explanatory notes accompanying the bill underscore the necessity of this legislation: “Given the hostages’ ongoing period of captivity and their inability to earn a living during this period and meet their commitments, the need has arisen to give a response to fulfilling the economic needs of the hostages and the ongoing charges in their bank accounts.”

In alignment with Government Resolution 1379 from February 4, 2024, the bill ensures that a special benefit will be extended retroactively from October 7, 2023, continuing as long as the hostage remains captive or the fate of the missing person remains unknown. This legislative step represents a critical measure in supporting the families of those held captive and ensuring they have the necessary financial resources during these challenging times.

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