Benefits for Israeli ‘evacuees’ extended

Tel Aviv [Israel]: The government of Israel extended the time for evacuees forced to leave the areas near Gaza and Lebanon due the ongoing danger there to submit applications for an additional aid grant.

To that end, Israel’s Tax Authority is now allowing submission online of applications for an organization grant for the purpose of equipping for the winter season for the evacuees of the surrounding area and the northern settlements, this following the announcement of the Minister of Finance on the payment of an additional grant to residents who were evacuated or vacated from their homes and following the government’s decision on the matter.

In accordance with the government’s decision, the amount of the grant will be 1,000 Shekels (USD 270) per person and up to 5,000 Shekels (USD 1,350) per family. This is an additional grant on top of a grant in the same amount that was paid to evacuees from the Gaza area as of October 15.

Residents of the Gaza area who live up to 7 km (4 miles) from the Gaza Strip and residents of the northern settlements near Lebanon are eligible for the grant, who meet the following conditions: their permanent place of residence is in a settlement whose evacuation or renewal has been extended until December 31, 2023; who have been evacuated from their homes as of October 7, 2023; have not yet returned to their place their permanent residence.

The Tax Authority said that so far about 30,000 applications have been submitted for the first round of the grant and a total amount of about 63 million Shekels (USD 17 million) has been paid.