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Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Amir Yaron: “The continuation of the fighting underscores the importance of assisting households and businesses that have been affected in order to help them get through this period. Extending the framework contributes to the ability of those experiencing financial difficulties to cope during this time and improves their prospects for recovery. I thank the professional staff of the Banking Supervision Department, which led the formulation of the framework, and the banking system, which has mobilized for the relief effort and for its extension.”

Supervisor of Banks, Daniel Hahiashvili: “The campaign has not yet ended, and in this context we have found it appropriate to extend the relief framework for households and small businesses that may, heaven forbid, be affected going forward. I thank the banking system for its mobilization in extending the framework, and I expect banks to continue to demonstrate sensitivity and consideration toward their customers who have been harmed, and to support them by finding tailored solutions even beyond the broad voluntary framework.”

Several days after the start of Operation “Roaring Lion,” the Bank of Israel’s Banking Supervision Department announced a relief framework to support populations directly affected by the damage caused by the fighting. The enrollment window for the framework applied from March 16, 2026 through April 16, 2026. In view of the continued security tensions and the ongoing restrictions imposed by the Home Front Command in various areas of the country, the Banking Supervision Department has decided to extend the enrollment window for the relief framework by an additional month, in order to continue enabling cash-flow relief for households and small businesses that experience harm.

The framework will be extended as follows:

  • The period for submitting an application to be included in the framework will be extended through May 15, 2026.
  • The populations to be included in the framework will be those that are harmed, physically or in cash-flow terms, from April 16, 2026 onward[1], subject to presentation of the required documentation regarding the damage, as detailed in the appendix to this announcement.

The relief measures under the framework are as follows:

  • Deferral of mortgage payments, with no limit on the amount, for a period of three months, with no interest or fees charged.
  • Deferral of repayments on consumer loans totaling up to NIS 100,000 for a period of three months, with no interest or fees charged.
  • A two-month deferral of repayments on loans totaling up to NIS 2 million for any business requesting such relief, with no interest or fees charged. Businesses that do not meet the defined criteria may defer repayments on loans totaling up to NIS 2 million for a period of two months at the contractual interest rate.

Below is a breakdown of the populations included in the framework and the relief available to them:

  • Households whose homes were damaged as of April 16, 2026 as a result of Operation “Roaring Lion” and who were evacuated, or households with physical injuries as a result of the operation.
  • Micro and small businesses[2] that, as of April 16, 2026, were harmed as a result of Operation “Roaring Lion” (physically or financially, in accordance with the criteria detailed in the appendix below).

In addition, for businesses owned by military reservists, a two-month exemption from interest charges on overdrafts in the business’s current account (up to NIS 30,000 in overdraft) will be granted. This benefit will be provided automatically to business owners identified by the bank as currently serving in the reserves, or who have updated the bank accordingly, and who were in a debit balance in their business account as of April 14, 2026 (the day preceding publication of this announcement).

The framework that has been formulated sets out the minimum terms for loan deferrals, and each bank may expand it for the benefit of its customers and at their request.

It should be noted that the maximum total deferral period for households will be three months, and for micro and small businesses, two months. This applies both to those who deferred loans under the framework published on March 2, 2026 and to those who deferred under the extension of the framework. Likewise, the maximum exemption period from interest charges on overdrafts in a business current account for military reservists under the framework as a whole is two months.

The Banking Supervision Department will continue to closely monitor geopolitical and financial developments and will further examine the need to adjust or extend the framework as necessary in accordance with circumstances.

For a central information page on the framework, including explanatory videos and questions and answers (in Hebrew), click here.

Appendix – Method of Identifying Eligible Customers and Additional Clarifications

Households evacuated as of April 16, 2026, or households injured as a result of Operation “Roaring Lion”

  • Confirmation from the local authority or another authorized official body attesting to evacuation from the home.
  • Confirmation from an authorized body regarding hospitalization due to an injury caused by the operation.

Business owners physically harmed as of April 16, 2026 as a result of Operation “Roaring Lion”

  • Confirmation from the local authority or another authorized official body regarding evacuation from the business premises.

Businesses that, as of April 16, 2026, are not operating during Operation “Roaring Lion”

  • Confirmation from a CPA / tax adviser / affidavit certified by a representing attorney, regarding the non-operation of the business during Operation “Roaring Lion,” during some or all of the business days on which the business ordinarily operates.

With regard to “military reservists who own businesses,” identification of military reservists will be based on a receipt/payment or credit posted to the customer’s account between February 1, 2026 and May 1, 2026 as a result of reserve duty service. If the customer served in the reserves during the said period and did not receive a receipt/payment or credit to the account, or if the bank has no way of identifying that the customer is a military reservist, the customer must present documentation to the bank regarding the reserve duty service performed in order to receive the benefit. If the customer was called up for the first time, identification will be based on the receipt/payment or credit received in April 2026.

Additional clarifications

  • The framework that has been formulated sets out the minimum terms, and each bank may expand it for the benefit of its customers and at their request.
  • It is clarified that the framework is in addition to the provisions of Section 9H2 of the Banking (Service to the Customer) Law, 5741–1981, and does not replace them.
  • Deferral of payments requires the customer to contact the bank and submit an application in the manner determined by the bank.
  • The above does not apply to a borrower who is in legal proceedings. With regard to a borrower who was in arrears at the time of the framework’s publication, a deferral may be granted for a period not exceeding 180 days from the date the arrears began.
  • Mortgages: applicable only to first homes and home-upgraders.
  • With regard to small corporations, in accordance with the characteristics to be published by the bank.
  • Exemption from interest charges on overdrafts: refers to a debit balance that is part of the credit facility approved by the bank.

Rescheduling of mortgage payments – three alternatives, at the bank’s discretion:

  • Adding the deferred payments to the end of the mortgage term.
  • Spreading the deferred payments over the remaining mortgage term.
  • Granting a loan, in the amount of the deferred payments, interest-free, for a period of four years, with repayment to begin after one year.

Rescheduling of payments on consumer credit and business credit

  • Adding the deferred payments to the end of the loan term.
  • Credit to businesses with annual turnover of up to NIS 25 million, excluding loans in commercial cooperation with a third party. For business credit with a remaining repayment term of more than three years, payments may be rescheduled in the manner prescribed for mortgages.

 

[1] Populations that experienced harm from the outbreak of the fighting on February 28, 2026 through April 16, 2026 were included and received a response during the first enrollment window of the framework.

[2] With annual turnover of up to NIS 25 million.