As Hamas attacked Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7, the lack of armored ambulances placed emergency responders at great risk trying to reach and evacuate victims.
Among the fallen paramedics trying to save lives under fire were Awad Darawshe, who was shot and killed while assisting the injured at the Nova music festival, Aaron Chaimov, who was fatally shot en route to help victims in Ofakim, and volunteer medic Dolev Yehud whose remains were found near Kibbutz Nir Oz in June.
At the Nova Festival, Palestinians fired a rocket at an ambulance packed with injury victims, killing 18.
As part of the lessons learned on the first days of the war, new ambulances donated to the police are now equipped with B6-level ballistic protection and can withstand shots from AK-47s, pistols, and assault rifles. Steel-plated doors and ballistic glass windows create a protective capsule around the vehicle, ensuring the safety of the medical workers and patients.
Additional features include run-flat tires, emergency lights, special cameras, and intercom systems.
“On October 7th, the world witnessed the extraordinary courage of Israeli police officers who acted as a shield between Hamas terrorists and Israeli civilians, saving many lives,” said Kyle Blank, CEO of Israel Friends said on Tuesday as the US nonprofit handed over four armored ambulances to the Israeli Police.
Accepting the ambulances was Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, who said, “Following that tragic day, we recognized the need to adapt our medical support and increase our fleet of armored ambulances.”
The vehicles will soon be operational within the police’s special units, such as YAMAM, YASSAM, and other specialized teams, in addition to supporting police medical facilities.
Nine Israeli ambulances were deliberately disabled by gunfire or arson on October 7, according to a Physicians for Human Rights report released in November.
And for several days, Magen David Adom restricted its crews from going near the danger zones, United Hatzala’s ambulances being the only ones operating there.
“No one understood or knew the magnitude of the event at all,” United Hatzalah emergency medical technician David Bader told The Press Service of Israel.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 116 remaining hostages, more than 30 are believed dead.
Image - Israel Friends