The Israel Ministry of Tourism has officially concluded its largest civilian evacuation operation, marking the end of an unprecedented initiative that housed more than 125,000 residents displaced by the Swords of Iron War. On July 7, 2025, the civilian emergency operations center, which was launched under the leadership of Minister of Tourism Haim Katz, formally closed after nearly two years of continuous efforts.

The operation, which began on October 18, 2023, was set up within days with the support of the Israel Hotel Association. In just one week, nearly 100,000 people were assigned to hotel accommodations. At its peak, over 90,000 evacuees were hosted across hotels nationwide on a full-board basis that included lodging, meals, laundry, and other essential services.

“Without prior preparation, we established an effective infrastructure for the evacuation of residents in times of emergency,” said Minister Katz. “This initiative not only strengthened our home front but also prevented the collapse of the hotel sector. The subsistence grants we introduced saved the State 7 billion shekels. We remain committed to preserving and rebuilding tourism, which is a key driver of our economy and public diplomacy.”

To support evacuees who preferred alternatives to hotel stays, the Ministry rolled out a daily subsistence grant—ILS 200 per adult and ILS 100 per child—amounting to roughly ILS 18,000 monthly for a family of four. A targeted information campaign later helped transition many from hotel stays to this community-based support, generating additional savings for the State Treasury.

The initiative safeguarded thousands of jobs in Israel’s hospitality sector, heavily impacted by the pause in tourism during the conflict. The emergency center also handled nearly 13,000 disputes related to eligibility and hotel stays, along with thousands of requests for family reunifications, pet accommodations, and special cases like weekend stays for soldiers.

Drawing on insights from the 628 days of operation, the Ministry is now preparing a dedicated emergency evacuation protocol to guide future responses. Even as the operations center winds down, the Ministry will continue addressing remaining administrative issues, while encouraging international visitors to support Israel’s tourism revival.