On Remembrance Day, we bowed our heads before the long and painful list of fallen soldiers and victims of hostile acts. Yet we must also recognize the living, painful, and ongoing reality of the tens of thousands of victims among us who are almost invisible.
They bear the harm on their bodies, souls, and families, but in the eyes of the state, they do not exist.
These are the ones who fall between the cracks. The October 7 attack created an unprecedented reality – about 90,000 civilians could be considered as victims, almost 10 times the total number of those recognized since the establishment of Israel until that day.
Given the magnitude of the harm, the governmental system cannot withstand the load. The aid mechanisms were not designed to handle this many victims, and the existing system is inadequate, given this new reality.
Many victims do not meet the eligibility criteria and, therefore, remain outside of the supporting circle. Thousands of brothers and sisters of murdered, kidnapped, and surviving individuals carry the weight of their families’ rehabilitation. They are supporting their parents, holding the fragile family unit together, dealing with cold bureaucracy, and sometimes leading the struggle in calling for the return of their loved ones.
They become, almost unwillingly, the pillars that hold up collapsed families – while also attempting to live their own lives.
Many were themselves wounded in the massacre; many left their jobs, dropped their studies, and jeopardized their futures to keep their families above water.
But the state chooses not to see them. Bereaved brothers and sisters are not recognized as victims of hostile acts. They are not entitled to benefits, don’t receive sufficient professional help, and are not given financial support – even when they have sacrificed everything to survive.
Additionally, the extent to which children were harmed in the massacre is unprecedented. More than 20,000 children were recognized as victims of hostile acts whether physical or mental or, in some cases, both.
On October 7 alone, 38 children were murdered and 42 were kidnapped – of whom 40 have returned. Dozens of children were orphaned: 20 lost both parents, and 96 lost one parent. Thousands more children experienced fleeing, hiding, and exposure to horrendous sights or loss.
Adult orphans who lost one parent – even if they were the only parent in their life – are not recognized by the state and, therefore, remain without any support.
Despite the severity of the rupture, there is currently no designated response for families where both the parents and the children were harmed; nor for children of secondary circles – of relatives or friends.
Thus, thousands of children and families remain outside the system – without recognition, adequate treatment, or a real horizon for rehabilitation.
Digital trauma: Severe and invisible
The acts of murder on October 7 were live-streamed on social media.
Families watched their loved ones fleeing, hiding, or being murdered.
Other families were exposed to the recordings later, sometimes while trying to understand what had happened to their loved ones.
This trauma, which was viewed on screen but penetrated the soul, caused symptoms similar to those experienced by people who were physically present at the scene. However, the state doesn’t acknowledge this.
Without official recognition, there is no access to psychological support, medical treatment, or rehabilitation.
The reality is clear: Israel of 2025 isn’t prepared to deal with the true echoes of the harm of October 7.
Neglecting the victims isn’t only morally unjust, it is also an economic and strategic mistake. Those who don’t receive rehabilitation care in time will likely deteriorate into non-functionality and will require long-term disability benefits, instead of a return to a standard life path and reintegration into society.
A wound that isn’t treated today will leave a mark for generations. An entire generation will carry trauma.
A deep, comprehensive, and courageous reform is required. One that truly recognizes the complexity of the circles of harm emanating from October 7, and commits to providing a fair, professional, and broad response.
Everyone – without any exception – deserves a real opportunity for rehabilitation.
The writer is vice president of strategic development at 121 – Engine for Social Change.