Avihai Chiim

Avihai Chiim is the health and welfare correspondent for Walla.


Cases of the measles rise in Israel.

Over 1,700 cases of measles diagnosed in Israel

 Rita Lifshitz at her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Mental health crisis deepens for communities hit by October 7 attack

Tylenol is displayed for sale at a pharmacy in New York City, New York, US, September 5, 2025.

WHO: No evidence linking paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism


Hostage mother: 'Netanyahu will forever be remembered as a murderer'

Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, said: "This is the 715th day that our children have been going through a Holocaust in the Hamas tunnels."

Einav Zangauker, mother of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker, holds a placard with a picture of him at a protest to demand the return of all hostages and an end to the war in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 17, 2025.

More Israelis emigrated than arrived over past year, CBS report reveals

On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, Israel’s population stands at approximately 10.148 million, after passing the 10 million mark in the last year.

Israelis walk their dogs on haBima Square in Tel Aviv. September 17, 2025.

'Prime Minister, you chose war over a deal': Hostage families protest outside of PM's residence

Later, US President Trump posted a picture of a banner reading "President Trump, save the hostages now!" from protests at Hostages' Square. 

Israeli police forces remove protesters outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, during a demonstration against the ongoing war and amid calls for the release of the hostages, September 16, 2025.

Reservists more resilient than conscripts during Operation Swords of Iron, study finds

New research highlights psychological gap between soldier groups; urges mentoring programs.

 IDF soldier seen walking between two armored vehicles in Gaza, December 20, 2023.

'We need everyone back': Hostage families, healthcare workers call for hostage deal

"Today, we pause to remind you: The return of all the hostages, alive or deceased, is essential for rebuilding our society in Israel," said Professor Hagai Levine.

Families of hostages held in the Gaza Strip attend an emergency confrence for their released at Shamir Medical Center in Be'er Ya'akov, August 17, 2025.

Healing the battlefield: IDF opens mental health access for soldiers within 24 hours

IDF soldiers are suffering from sleep disturbances, concentration issues, anxiety, mood swings, decreased appetite and more.

 An IDF soldier walks near the Israel-Gaza border, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in southern Israel, December 31, 2023.

Survivors of Holocaust face new hardships after missile attack on Rehovot center

For the elderly people who visit the center each week, however, it’s more than just a club—it's home. Now, with the facility damaged and nowhere to gather, they have one request: not to be forgotten.

A building at the campus of the Weizmann Institute of Science remains damaged following an Iranian missile strike on Sunday, in Rehovot, Israel June 19, 2025

Israel's Knesset considers rescue, rehabilitation of children from Jewish cult Lev Tahor

The committee discussed the support framework provided to cult survivors arriving in Israel. 

 Members of the Lev Tahor Jewish cult attend a protest in Guatemala City, January 30, 2025.

Proposed tax on foreign donations alarms NGOs aiding Holocaust survivors

The bill, initiated by Likud MK Ariel Kallner, would impose an 80% tax on donations received from foreign political entities.

 (illustrative) Polish-born Holocaust survivor Meyer Hack shows his prisoner number tattooed on his arm. (Hack is unrelated to the contents of this article)

Government to promote plan for integrating haredim into medical studies

The goal is to develop a dedicated framework for training haredi doctors, with recommendations to be submitted to the health minister within 90 days.

 A haredi (ultra-Orthodox) man reads a newspaper.