By Nativia Samuelsen

As the war in Gaza triggered by Hamas on October 7 unfolded, a second front quickly ignited in Israel’s north as Hizbullah joined the fray in support of its fellow Iranian-backed terror militia. Just as quickly, the ICEJ began supporting urgent aid relief projects on both fronts.

With escalating rocket fire and clashes along the Lebanese border, more than 60,000 Israeli residents in 43 communities along the northern border were ordered to evacuate. Families rushed to pack their lives into suitcases and boxes and drive off. Schools shut down overnight. Small villages that were once lively suddenly became ghost towns.

Eighteen months later, only one in four evacuees has returned. The rest are still displaced, living in hotels or temporary housing options, waiting for a sign that it will be safe to go home.

Throughout 2024, the ICEJ began laying the groundwork for their return to the north, starting with civil preparedness. By strategically placing bomb shelters in these northern communities, we have provided immediate safety and long-term reassurance. The ICEJ installed 30 protective shelters last year alone, including 14 compact cube shelters, eight large shelters, and eight renovations of existing ones across vulnerable communities. Each is strategically positioned just meters from schools, clinics, playgrounds and homes where split-second access to shelters saves lives.

This is not a blind shooting approach. Every shelter is placed in close coordination with local civilian security officials, reaching communities where residents have little time to reach safety during an alert. For many towns near the border, sirens offer just 15 seconds or less to find shelter.

“This is about providing safety and peace of mind,” said Nicole Yoder, ICEJ’s Vice President for AID and Aliyah. “We’re not only protecting lives, but we’re also helping people remain in or return to their communities.”

The numbers show the growing crisis in Israel’s north:

• 60,000+ residents remain displaced;
• Over 100 schools were physically damaged;
• 16,670 students evacuated (11% are now at high risk of dropping out);
• In Kiryat Shmona, a frontline city under frequent fire, more than 1,000 homes were damaged;
• 59,000 businesses nationwide have closed since the war began (35% of them in the north); and
• 1 in 3 evacuees is unemployed, while 70% say they are uncertain about returning home.

While Hizbullah has been weakened, they still remain a threat to Israel and the ceasefire along the border is fragile. The extensive damage from the months of rocket fire is still visible: destroyed homes, shattered rooftops, abandoned classrooms. Yet the rebuilding has begun.

We have witnessed how every bomb shelter we have placed or renovated, and every delivery of aid, is a sign that someone sees them and helps them prepare for their return, even if the future is still uncertain.

One of the clearest indicators of this need comes from parents, who often share that access to shelters in schools is a top priority when considering the return home. In response, ICEJ has focused on installing shelters in schools and child therapy centers in both the north and south.

In a recent placement in the Merom HaGalil regional council area in the north, the ICEJ installed a shelter at an elementary school. When the delivery team arrived, they were shocked to learn that this would be the only shelter available where hundreds of children are dropped off and picked up from school every day.

“We should install at least another three to four shelters here!” said the delivery driver in disbelief at the security gap these children face.

This underscores how pressing the need for more bomb shelters is to improve civil preparedness in the border region. A second shelter was placed in a nearby field school known for its unique curriculum centered on nature, the environment, wildlife and conservation.

While government efforts to rebuild and return are underway, the timeline could be long. The Home Front Command estimates that it will take two years to secure the 300 schools near the border. The ICEJ shelters are bridging that gap, allowing kindergartens and schools to reopen, thus enabling residents to resume daily life. These shelters also give displaced families a clear sign of progress.

Shelters are often the first structures to arrive in an evacuated town. They are the beginning of the slow return to routine, and an assuring sign that the community still has a future.

In 2025, the ICEJ plans to continue its work in the north, assisting frontline communities to strengthen their preparedness and create the conditions necessary for a safe return.

Your support can help put the next bomb shelter in place and bring safety and peace of mind to more families, schools and frontline communities.

Please consider donating to our Israel in Crisis fund and help secure the future of Israel.

Donate today at: help.icej.org/crisis

Main photo: A new shelter is delivered and installed at a school bus terminal at the Merom HaGalil regional school in Farod. This elementary school in Farod has 318 students. (Photo: Operation Lifeshield)