Nahal Oz

JPC Briefing: 55,000 Israelis with Disabilities Evacuated from Conflict Areas

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 2, 2023

JERUSALEM, Nov. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the October 7th terrorist attack by Hamas, more than 55,000 people with disabilities inside Israel been evacuated to areas further from the rocket fire, often to unfamiliar and inaccessible accommodations. Compounding the struggle to provide continuous care for those in need is the fact that 400,000 people have been called up for reserve military duty, so many staff and family carers are simply not available.

Key Points: 
  • These facts came to light in a panel hosted by the Jerusalem Press Club (JPC), and moderated by Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, Co-Founder, Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund.
  • The panel featured leading Israeli disability experts who outlined challenges for Israelis with a variety of disabilities.
  • People with mobility disabilities can struggle to access a bomb shelter in under two minutes when a siren goes off.
  • From an Israeli population of 9 million, 17% are disabled and about 50% of those living with disabilities have more than one disability.