Opening Remarks by the State Comptroller and Ombudsman and the Director of the Ombudsman Office
A special report is hereby submitted by the Ombudsman to the Knesset, pursuant to Section 46(b) of the State Comptroller Law, 1958 [Consolidated Version].
On the morning of Friday, June 13, 2025, Operation Rising Lion commenced, for the elimination of the existential threat posed by Iran to the State of Israel. This operation extended over a duration of 12 days. In retaliation to said operation, during which Israel achieved significant military successes, Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles toward Israeli territory. As a result, 31 civilian lives were lost, numerous individuals sustained injuries, extensive damage was caused to tens of thousands of residential units, and approximately 11,000 individuals were evacuated from their homes to hotels and guesthouses nationwide. The civilian population on the home front displayed remarkable resilience in the face of the widespread destruction of both life and property.
On Sunday, June 15, 2025, our Office begun conducting tours of the locations where missiles had impacted, as well as visits to hospitals and accommodations where residents, whose homes suffered damage, had been relocated. The objective of these tours was to conduct a thorough and real-time evaluation of how governmental authorities and institutions were addressing the resultant damages, while also gathering insights into the distress and sentiments expressed by the residents affected by the war.
On Monday, June 16, 2025, four days following the initiation of the operation, the Office of the Ombudsman's hotline was activated. This hotline was designed to function as an accessible and prompt mechanism for receiving complaints via telephone and WhatsApp from individuals affected by the hostilities, who require assistance in asserting their rights.
On June 18, 2025, teams of the Office of the Ombudsman staff began operating service counters in 28 hotels and guesthouses accommodating the evacuees. The employees stationed at these counters actively listened to the complaints voiced by the evacuees, provided real-time assistance concerning their rights, collected complaints from individuals unable to assert their entitlements, and facilitated the resolution of bureaucratic complexities.
The Office of the Ombudsman serves as the legally designated authority responsible for investigating complaints pertaining to all public entities within the State of Israel. The extensive knowledge of the Office employees regarding government systems, coupled with their experience in managing intricate cases, has empowered them to engage directly with the relevant parties in public bodies. This allows them to highlight cases that necessitate immediate attention and facilitate prompt and effective solutions in instances where the concerns of individuals who have suffered harm or been displaced from their homes have not been adequately addressed.
The complaints articulated in the special report are categorized into two distinct topics:
The first – the challenges faced by residents who endured direct damage from the rocket attacks. Their complaints documented in the report elucidate the hardships encountered by residents who were evacuated to hotels and guesthouses, as well as the difficulties associated with the compensation claim processes ensuing from the damages they sustained.
The second – the struggle experienced by the public at large in coping with various challenges during Operation Rising Lion. The report provides instances of complaints that exemplify the adversities the public had to contend with throughout the operation, including deficiencies in protective measures, as well as challenges related to health, employment, and access to public services.
In circumstances such as these, it would have been prudent to deliver optimal services to the affected populations, thereby alleviating their suffering to the greatest extent possible. A significant shortcoming highlighted by the tours conducted and by the handling of the complaints received is the absence of an integrating entity tasked with overseeing the actions of government institutions concerning the treatment of citizens impacted by the state of emergency. It is recommended that the Prime Minister and the Israeli government ministers take measures to derive lessons from the treatment of the victims of Operation Rising Lion, with the aim of formalizing the procedures for assisting citizens of the State of Israel during times of emergency.
We wish to convey our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the employees of the Office of the Ombudsman for their exceptional commitment – particularly during the ongoing rocket fire on Israel – to operate service counters in hotels and guesthouses, thereby aiding those impacted by the emergency. The unwavering dedication and determination demonstrated by the employees amid the conflict is a testament to the unique mission spirit that characterizes the Office of the Ombudsman.
We pray and wish for the safe return of all hostages, for the health of the injured, for the triumph of the Israel Defense Forces and security forces in safeguarding our nation, and for the restoration of peace and tranquility within our nation.
Matanyahu Englman Carmit Fenton, Adv.
State Comptroller Director of the
and Ombudsman Ombudsman Office
Jerusalem, September 2025