Israeli Health Ministry Advances Major Expansion of Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem

The National Infrastructure Committee (HATaL) approved the publication of a preparatory plan for a national infrastructure project to expand Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. This initiative, promoted by the Israel Land Authority in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, follows a July 2025 declaration by the Health Minister, in consultation with the Interior Minister, designating the hospital expansion as a project of national importance. The expansion aims to address the ongoing population growth in the Jerusalem metropolitan area and surrounding regions, as well as the increasing demand for medical services and hospital beds.

The plan calls for increasing the hospital's inpatient capacity from approximately 1,000 to 2,400 beds. The expansion will involve constructing additional buildings around the existing campus, including vertical development to create a compact, accessible, and efficient medical campus for patients, visitors, and medical staff. The project also includes building underground spaces for logistical infrastructure, systems, and protected areas, relocating the current helicopter landing pad to a new site, and constructing a new oncology building, a research center, separate surgical departments, and dormitories for students and staff in partnership with the Hebrew University.

In response to the hospital administration's request, the committee agreed to split the plan, advancing an accelerated track specifically for the oncology hospital and research center alongside the broader expansion. Benny Arviv, Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Headquarters, emphasized the plan's necessity for significantly improving medical services in Jerusalem and the wider district, ensuring continuity of hospital operations throughout construction. Naava Alinsky Radaei, the committee planner, highlighted the plan's role in enhancing medical service accessibility and fostering the development of future medical staff. The expansion aligns with the Ministry of Health's approved program and the national master plan targets for 2050.