More than half of the residents of the Gaza’s border communities and in the North feel unsafe in their homes, with many reporting worsening mental-health conditions and the loss of jobs, according to a Jewish Agency survey released nearly two years after the October 7 massacre.
One single theme emerged when the large amount of data that was collected was analyzed: They have a deep sense of insecurity.
More than half of the respondents, 53%, said they felt less safe in their homes, including 61% of the residents of Gaza border communities.
About 72% of all respondents reported fearing that an event similar to the October 7 massacre could happen again, including 83% of individuals living near the Gaza Strip.
Fifty percent of the respondents reported requiring some form of psychological support since the outbreak of the war, including 71% of the residents of Gaza border communities.
Nearly half of all parents, 48%, said their children had received psychological help, while 61% of parents in the Gaza border region and 24% in the North reported the same.
In addition, 49% of parents said their children were suffering from sleep disorders, 43% cited concentration difficulties in school, 36% observed a decline in academic performance, and 33% reported that their children had struggled to maintain regular school attendance.
Health issues have also become widespread. About 57% of the respondents reported sleep problems, 42% reported weight gain, 39% said they were taking more medication, and 35% noted an increase in visits to doctors and specialists.
Furthermore, several respondents said they had been diagnosed with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, which they attributed to prolonged stress and trauma.
Livelihoods have also suffered. The unemployment rate has more than doubled, rising from 13% before the war to 28% today.
Among those still employed, 26% reported being forced to change their profession or workplace due to the war. Among residents of Gaza border communities, that number rose to 32%.
Of those not working, half cited mental-health challenges as the primary cause, including 65% in the Gaza periphery and 21% in the North.
Many families have had to rebuild their lives while coping with personal loss and ongoing psychological hardships, according to the survey.
When asked which areas of life had been most affected, 56% of the respondents cited mental health, 43% mentioned physical health, 43% said their livelihood had been harmed, and 38% noted a decline in housing quality.
“The survey published by the Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror reflects the painful and complex reality on the ground, which is that the concept of family rehabilitation after a terrorist attack has changed completely since the October 7 disaster,” said Ayelet Nahmias-verbin, the fund’s chairwoman.
“The fund’s team, which was the first to mobilize to support Jewish communities and distribute thousands of emergency grants, sees these challenges daily,” she said. “This survey was conducted following two years of intensive work to understand long-term needs better and to expand the fund’s support accordingly.”
JEWISH AGENCY chairman Doron Almog said the figures had revealed a “deep and painful wound.”
“Residents of the Gaza border communities and the North face personal and collective trauma every day, yet they continue to demonstrate remarkable courage and resilience,” he said.
“We must be there for them – to listen, to support, and to help restore their strength,” Almog said. “I have deep admiration for the Fund for Victims of Terror and the women leading it with unwavering dedication.”
Jewish Agency CEO Yehuda Stone said the survey data had underscored the long path to recovery.
'Many have not resumed routine life'
“Residents of the Gaza border communities and the North may have physically returned to their homes, but many have not resumed routine life,” he said. “Since the war began, the Jewish Agency has supported communities in the South and North throughout their recovery, with the support of Diaspora Jews.”
“Through the Fund for Victims of Terror, we have reached tens of thousands of families during their most difficult moments, and we will continue to do so with one clear message: You are not alone,” Stone said.
The Midgam Institute surveyed 1,024 respondents for the Jewish Agency’s survey with the aim of helping the fund identify additional ways to meet the evolving needs of victims of terrorism.
The Fund for Victims of Terror said it had initiated the survey to expand its assistance programs for residents of Gaza border communities and the North.
Supported by donations from the Jewish Federations of North America, the United Israel Appeal, the Spirit of Israel, and other donors from Israel and abroad, the fund provides immediate emergency grants, long-term rehabilitation support, therapy programs, and recreational activities for children and teenagers.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas War, the fund has supported more than 22,000 families, distributing more than NIS 130 million in assistance.