Health Minister Uriel Busso has submitted a bill that would allow bereaved families who lost their fourth child in the war to pursue the option of surrogacy, even if they do not meet the eligibility criteria due to already having three children, the Health Ministry announced this week.
Busso introduced a temporary regulation for one year, allowing these families to pursue surrogacy for an additional child. The regulation will be submitted for approval by the Knesset Health Committee after a public comment period.
The decision was made in light of many families’ losses in the Hamas massacre and wars in the past year.
Under the proposed change, bereaved parents with three living children will be allowed to pursue surrogacy for one more.
According to Busso, “In these difficult days, as many families grapple with unimaginable loss after the tragic events of October 7 and the ongoing war, we must provide bereaved parents the opportunity to expand their families and begin a new chapter in their lives.
'Our duty to care for their families'
“The heroism of the fallen – our sons and daughters who sacrificed their lives for us all – is the legacy we stand upon. It is also our duty to care for their families,” he added.
“This step, taken with deep sensitivity to the parents’ pain and in response to their requests, reflects our commitment to helping them move forward while honoring and commemorating the heroes we have lost.
“The hope of bringing new life out of such grief is a powerful message of resilience, renewal, and the triumph of the human spirit,” Busso said.