Israel: Finance Ministry To Compensate Residents Affected By Gaza Strikes

Israel’s Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman on Sunday asked the country’s Tax Authority (ITA) chief to provide aid for residents who were affected by the ongoing conflict with Gaza militants.

The minister urged ITA director Eran Yaacov to consider temporary regulations that would enable compensations for Israelis living in settlements, who were ordered to stay at home in the past days due to the Operation Breaking Dawn.

“The people of Israel are strong, and the enemy knows it too. We will do everything in our power to ensure the economic and security stability of the citizens of Israel in general and the residents of the South in particular,” Liberman said during an emergency meeting of his ministry.

Following instructions issued by the Home Front Command, many Israelis had to refrain from going to work due to rocket attacks from Gaza. There are also residents, whose homes were directly damaged by the strikes or shrapnel. For them, the ITA offers alternative placement in a hotel or rental apartment, covering the costs of housing and transportation. 

The Property Tax Compensation Fund recently visited the sites, where people reported damage to their property to evaluate the amount of future compensations. An option of restoration will also be offered to residents by the ITA or assigned contractors.

According to a damage report website and hotline established by the ITA for residents of Ashkelon near Gaza that was heavily targeted by strikes in recent days, over 100 people have already reported damage to their property.