Full Breakdown
Israel’s Legal Aid Department Handles Over 150,000 New Cases in 2025
By Drooid · · How we work
Overview of 2025 Legal Aid Activity
The Justice Ministry’s Legal Aid Department reported that it opened 154,552 files during 2025. The figure reflects the number of new matters initiated, not the count of individuals served or the outcomes of the cases.
Breakdown of Case Types
According to the department’s annual report, personal status matters comprised 35 % of the new files, while debt-related matters accounted for 30 %. Civil matters represented 10 %, and National Insurance issues made up 7 % of the workload. The remaining cases fall into other categories not detailed in the summary.
Support for Victims of the October 7 Attacks
The report highlights legal assistance generated by the October 7 attacks and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war. More than 3,500 files were opened for bereaved families, families of hostages and returnees, and families of those killed between October 2023 and the second half of 2026. Services include help with benefits, inheritance, banking, housing, insurance, and, for returned hostages, matters linked to their captivity. Assistance is provided without a financial means test. The department is also processing appeals from relatives who witnessed the attacks remotely and seek recognition as victims of hostile acts; these appeals remain pending before an appeals committee of the Tel Aviv District Court.
Recent Legal Developments
Two notable legal developments were noted in the 2025 report. First, the Supreme Court ruled in a debt-case that a woman earning below the minimum wage could not have that wage automatically used as proof of income, sending the case back for an individualized assessment. Second, a law enacted in December 2025 permits individuals aged 65 and over to obtain legal aid in specified cases of alleged financial exploitation, again without requiring a means test. The exemption applies only to those exploitation cases, not to all legal matters involving seniors.
Impact and Outlook
The department’s expanded caseload reflects heightened demand for legal support in family, debt, and war-related matters. By removing means-test requirements for certain vulnerable groups—bereaved families, hostages, and seniors facing financial exploitation—the ministry aims to broaden access to justice. Ongoing appeals concerning victim recognition and the implementation of the new senior-aid provisions will shape the department’s workload in the coming years.
