Israeli women aged between 20 and 33 will now be entitled to free abortions regardless of circumstances after the Israel cabinet passed the new regulations on Sunday.

Around £2.5 million, allocated by the Health Ministry, will go some way towards covering abortions for over 6,000 women who cannot afford the procedure.

The move has been criticised as “immoral” by some rabbinical organisations.

Until now, subsidised abortions were reserved for women under 20 or over 40 – or in cases of sexual abuse or where life was endangered.