Israel launches project to urgently renovate 4,000 shelters in its north

An urgent project to map and renovate thousands of bomb shelters in disadvantaged neighborhoods of Israel’s north has renovated about 1,000 shelters in its first week and a half, following the outbreak of the war with Hamas on October 7, Report informs via the Jerusalem Post.

The project, called Ir Miklat (the Biblical term for a ‘city of refuge’) was launched as a partnership between JNF UK and the NGO Ossim Shechuna (literally, ‘Making a Neighborhood.’).

The project, which bears a NIS 4 million (around $985,500) price tag, is meant to prepare for a possible northern front, should Hezbollah go to war with Israel amidst the fighting in the Gaza Strip. Any war with Hezbollah is expected to include heavy missile barrages aimed at Israeli population centers.

There are about 53,000 shared private shelters in Israel, which cater to 1.3 million people. Half of all shelters in disadvantaged neighborhoods are defined as “unsuitable for emergencies.” Of these, 70% are in a state of neglect, 20% of have been occupied by residents of the building and 10% have infrastructure problems.