Northern border towns nearly 90% repopulated since war, government says

17 September 2025, 1:51 pm

Edit

President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal visit on the first day of the school year in Kiryat Shmona, September 1, 2025. (Ayal Margolin/Flash90)

The government administration managing the return and rehabilitation of northern border communities says 87 percent of evacuated residents have returned home since the end of fighting nearly a year ago.

According to the Tnufa administration, 55,000 of 64,200 northern residents are back, counting some communities where the population has actually grown since September 2023, such as the communities of Betzet and Hagoshrim.

Metula, meanwhile, is only 48% repopulated, while the small communities of Shtula and Manara now have 52% of their previous population.

Kiryat Shmona, the largest evacuated city, has 18,600 residents now, some 76% of its 24,500 prewar population, the figures show.