Veteran Health Journalist Hila Alroi Asked to Resign Amid Medical Leave at Channel 13

Hila Alroi, a respected health correspondent at Israel's Channel 13, was asked to resign last month by the channel's CEO, Tali Ben-Ovadia, after 18 years in her role. Alroi, who began her career at Channel 10 before it became Channel 13, had recently informed senior staff that she was about to undergo a complex medical procedure involving pathology tests. Despite this, Ben-Ovadia summoned Alroi to a meeting on June 7 and told her, "We need to part ways," stating she did not see Alroi continuing on the news broadcast.

Alroi responded that Ben-Ovadia's decision was the reason she was not featured on the broadcast and noted she had been occupied with medical tests in the preceding weeks. Ben-Ovadia claimed she was unaware of the surgery, which surprised Alroi as she had informed other executives weeks earlier. Following the surgery on June 15, and before receiving the pathology results, Alroi received a WhatsApp message from Ben-Ovadia asking to discuss the details of her departure. Alroi denied any agreement to resign and stated she planned to return to work after a three-week sick leave.

Colleagues expressed anger over the timing and perceived insensitivity of the resignation request, especially given Alroi's health condition. Channel 13 stated it respects Alroi's years of service and that the decision to end her employment was communicated before her medical leave, with the termination delayed until after her sick leave. The channel declined to disclose specific reasons citing privacy.

Alroi is one of Israel's most prominent health journalists, with a career spanning roles at Galei Tzahal, Yedioth Ahronoth, and Maariv before joining Channel 10 in 2008. She has received multiple awards for her investigative reporting on public healthcare issues. In 2017, she publicly disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis, which was documented in a 2018 film. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was a key figure in health coverage on Channel 13. Recently, she reported on former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hospitalization and heart condition in 2023.