New Project for Israeli hostage families

Return to Life mental health support begins

In 2025, Beyond Conflict is supporting the Return to Life mental health project in Israel, providing help to the families of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas following its attack on the Nova music festival in October 2023.

This project is again in partnership with United Jewish Israel Appeal, the respected and established NGO that is in turn linked with organisations on the ground to provide support to hostage families impacted by the attack of October 7th.

That attack has led to an escalation of the conflict in the region in the subsequent period. Beyond Conflict calls for an immediate ceasefire on both sides to end the suffering of civilians, a return of all Israeli hostages, resumption  of full aid to Gaza and the start of a peace dialogue.

Return to Life is funded by a group of international philanthropists and donors, including Beyond Conflict, which received funding from the London Stock Exchange Group Foundation (LSEG) for our work in the Middle East.  We thank LSEG and another private donor for helping to fund this important and urgent work.

Overcoming trauma

Return to Life provides mental health support to  the families of the Israeli hostages – those who have returned, those who are still being held by Hamas and those who died. Extending to the family circle of each hostage, the project provides  mental support as well as financial and occupational rehabilitation.. The aim is to help heal these families’ deep and painful trauma, equipping them for an attempted return to normal life.

UJIA said:

“Following Beyond Conflict’s support of alternative therapeutic services for the survivors of the Nova Festival attack in 2024, UJIA is now focusing trauma relief support on the hostages and their families.  Some hostages have been released alive and need huge amounts of support, as do their families and the families of those hostages whose bodies have now been returned from Gaza.  In addition, many hostages remain in Gaza and their families have no ability to move forward until they are returned. UJIA is working to help the hostages and their families by increasing the aid system to include those family members of the extended circles that do not receive state aid, with a holistic view and approach of post traumatic growth and a relatable, joint dialogue.”

Beyond Conflict Chair Gillian Dare said:

“As hostage victims of Hamas are released or their fate revealed,  the families of the victims are suffering renewed trauma  as they find out the truth about their missing loved ones or those released struggle to rehabilitate themselves after being incarcerated for so long. The need for trauma support has grown. We are pleased to be working in partnership again on this programme with UIJA. Following their excellent work with survivors of the initial attack on the music festival and kibbutz, we are confident that the work they are undertaking will prove positive and reduce their stress and tensions in the country.”

Beyond Conflict Co-Founder and Executive Director Edna Fernandes said:

“Following on from our help for the survivors of the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival, Beyond Conflict is pleased to work again with our partner UJIA, this time supporting a crucial project for the families of the Israeli hostage victims. These families have suffered unbearable trauma, facing uncertainty, fear for loved ones who were taken and in many cases, grief and bereavement for those who have died in captivity. This project is part of a healing process for these families and the country.”

Coordinating a response

The project will:

• Coordinate between state and non-profit organisations to prevent duplication of services and support hostage families. 
• Provide a telephone helpline: a direct link to families, operating five days a week, eight hours a day, with the intent of expanding hours according to need.
• Map the needs of each family and make a referral to additional complementary services that include individual therapy, group therapy, workshops, rehabilitation assistance for work for the applicant and the extended family.
• Build a plan for accompaniment, treatment, prevention and resilience, working with existing mental health professionals and networks on the ground.

If you wish to support this and our other projects, please donate to Beyond Conflict. Thank you.