How will IDF soldiers held hostage in Gaza get paid?
One group exempt from this payment scheme is IDF soldiers who were taken hostage who have continued to receive their salaries from the IDF. According to an IDF representative present at the committee meeting, the salary of regular soldiers stands at NIS 2,000-3,000 per month.
The committee demanded that the IDF compensate kidnapped soldiers equally to the minimum amount of compensation given to civilian hostages – NIS 7,000.
“A soldier gets just a few pennies each month, and this creates an unreasonable gap,” Eichler said. “This needs to be addressed. Soldiers must receive at least the minimum amount set by the state.”
“I understand that the rationale is to pay back one’s salary, but it isn’t logical to create two different groups of hostages,” added Labor MK Gilad Kariv. “This isn’t a very large group, and it doesn’t place a huge burden on the defense budget.”
The IDF representatives said they would bring the issue to the relevant authorities but clarified that regardless, the soldiers held hostage would be paid through the IDF.
The committee chair and Members of Knesset stated that they would stand by their decision that the soldiers must receive at least the minimum compensation, warning that if the IDF doesn’t see to it, the MKs will advance a bill to do so.
“The most touching thing here is that the hostages are being treated as living people who need to take care of their normal lives,” said Shimon Or, whose relative Avitan is held hostage in Gaza. “Whoever takes responsibility for these people is the one who will get the responsibility and power to welcome them back. To make sure they have a salary, to allow them to pay their payments. This is how we should treat the hostages,” he added
