Israeli Journalist and Political Advisor Orit Galili-Zucker Dies at 70 After Cancer Battle

Orit Galili-Zucker, a respected Israeli journalist and political advisor, passed away at the age of 70 following a two-year struggle with cancer. She died earlier today at Ichilov Hospital. Galili-Zucker was known for her courageous and passionate spirit, described on her social media as a special, loving, and brave woman who lived a relatively short but intense life.

Holding a PhD in political science, she was a senior journalist at Haaretz and later served as a strategic advisor to political parties across the spectrum, from right to left. In early June 2026, she publicly shared her battle with the disease, revealing her acceptance of the approaching end and the difficult decisions ahead.

In her final reflections, Galili-Zucker expressed a wish to extend her life to spend more time with her family, hoping to witness milestones such as her son Eran starting a clinical psychology PhD in England, her eldest granddaughter Eden turning 15, and her younger son Eitan advancing in basketball with Panathinaikos Athens.