"Dad Murdered Mom": The Report Revealing an Unprecedented Spike in the Number of Orphans Due to Domestic Femicide
The Michal Sela Forum published a first-of-its-kind report showing that 241 children were orphaned following the murder of 88 mothers in the family between 2020 and 2026. The year 2026 set a negative record for child murder within the family, with four children killed by their father.
The Michal Sela Forum launched yesterday (Monday) its first annual report, 'Dad Murdered Mom,' documenting the extent of child orphanhood following domestic femicide in Israel. The report reveals that between 2020 and 2026, 241 children were orphaned from 88 murdered mothers. The year 2026, which has not yet ended, set a negative record with four children murdered by their father and one child who survived a murder attempt by his stepfather. In 2025, there was a dramatic 112.5% increase in the number of orphans compared to 2024, with 51 new orphans. The report also exposes an escalation in child murder within the family: 12 children were murdered between 2020 and 2026, plus two attempted murders. Of the orphans, 52.7% are from the Jewish sector, 42.3% from the Arab sector, 3.7% had mothers with foreign citizenship, and for 1.2% the origin was not published. Lily Ben Ami, founder of the forum, called on the government to establish a professional framework to accompany the children and families. The report is based on media clippings and donations, without government funding.