Overview
- The government and Knesset approved the reform package on July 16, 2026, converting the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department into a stronger national authority and beginning formal implementation planning.
- The law separately recognizes combat trauma under Israeli law for the first time, creating a statutory basis for specialized treatment and clearer entitlement rules for PTSD and related conditions.
- Every wounded service member will be assigned a dedicated case manager to coordinate medical care, rehabilitation and benefits while new automated data links and AI tools are introduced to cut paperwork and speed decisions.
- The package expands mental-health programs, family support, tailored care for special cases such as severe head injuries and lone soldiers, and creates rehabilitation tracks aimed at returning wounded personnel to work.
- Officials say the overhaul responds to more than 26,000 entries to the rehabilitation system since October 2023 and to Defense Ministry warnings that cases could rise toward 90,000–100,000 by 2026–2028, so near-term tests will focus on funding, hiring and effective digital rollout.