A Syrian refugee is treated at Ziv Medical Center in Israel’s northern city of Safed. Photo: Courtesy of Ziv Medical Center.

JNS.org – Israel has announced that it will take in 100 orphaned Syrian refugee children, the Jewish state’s first such move since Syria’s civil war began nearly six years ago, Israel’s Channel 10 reported.

According to the report, the children will receive temporary resident status, and become permanent residents after four years. Additionally, the children, who will be housed in an Education Ministry boarding school for the first three months and then enrolled in Israeli schools, will eventually be placed by the government with Arab-Israeli foster families. Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri approved the plan.

“Israel to take in Syrian orphans as refugees w/ path to citizenship. Arab-Israelis will help absorbing,” Israeli-Arab diplomat George Deek wrote on Twitter.

The Channel 10 report also said that Israel may allow close relatives of the Syrian children — such as siblings or parents, if they are found alive — to be granted Israeli residence.

While Israel has largely remained neutral in regards to the conflict in Syria, the Jewish state has treated more than 2,600 Syrian war casualties in special hospitals set up along the border as well as in conventional Israeli hospitals.