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Israeli Government Officially Approves New Benefits for Soldiers
Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas, in this handout picture released on Jan. 2, 2024. Photo: Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS
The Israeli government has officially approved a new set of benefits for military reservists discharged from service, giving them significant discounts on land purchases.
“Today is a good day, because we have committed for some time to bring free or almost free land to the army servants, our reservists, with an emphasis of course on combat service,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been pushing heavily for the discounts.
“There is really a big news here of 90 percent [discounts], and in some places even 95 percent,” he continued, detailing the benefits. “Though the land itself is almost free, we are aware that there are also development expenses. We are now discussing how to also provide assistance, such as subsidies, with the Finance Ministry for the benefit of development expenses. This is of course a great revolution; it also creates justice.”
Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf added, “Today we passed a series of historic decisions for the benefit of Israeli citizens of all shades of the population, with an emphasis on [Israel Defense Forces] IDF soldiers and reservists, who sacrifice their time and energy for the defense of the homeland. In addition to increasing discounts for buyers in areas of national priority, in order to encourage and develop Jewish settlement there.”
As mentioned by Netanyahu, the main benefit approved on Thursday was a 90 percent discount on land purchases where the buyer is building a house for personal use. Additionally, priority will be given to reservists in housing lotteries — first choice on 20 percent of the units — and they will become eligible for discounts on apartment purchases.
The new approval gives extra discounts if the land is purchased in “priority locations” such as the Negev, the Galilee, and the Gaza Envelope. The rate will be 10 percent or up to 100,000 NIS (slightly under $28,000), which will be subtracted from the 90 percent discount already applied.
“With the decisions passed today, the state will offer significant discounts for the purchase of land in national priority areas for reservists,” said Yehuda Morgenstern, director-general of the Construction and Housing Ministry. “In addition, we increased the percentage of apartments that will be allocated to reservists in discounted apartment lotteries. We consider it a moral obligation to help as much as possible to encourage settlement throughout the country, especially in the areas close to the borders, and at the same time to give as much assistance as possible to the reserve soldiers who give of themselves for the country all the time.”
The measure defines reservists qualifying for the discounts as being those who served at least 45 days, meaning that almost every soldier who was called can take advantage of the discounts.
More than 300,000 soldiers were called up following Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages in documented cases of systemic rape, murder, and mutilation.
Now almost six months into the war, a large portion of the soldiers called for duty after Oct. 7 have returned to their homes following service, though many remain in or around Gaza and in the north of Israel, where the IDF has been trading missile fire with the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.
The post Israeli Government Officially Approves New Benefits for Soldiers first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.