Magen David Adom in Israel (MDA), the Israeli National Society, is on its highest state of alert. It has stepped up its preparedness to provide assistance to all communities in Israel who might be affected during the hostilities. Based on the solid partnership between the ICRC and MDA, both are working together to monitor and assess the current situation

12 operational centres working from sheltered facilities are monitoring the situation, ready to dispatch the medical teams, with over 1,000 ambulances and emergency vehicles. MDA staff members and volunteers are working days and nights to ensure the best emergency medical response to all.

Magen David Adom’s ambulance teams are responding to rocket attacks by providing first aid, medical care and transportation as needed, as well as psychosocial support to victims. Meanwhile the society has raised the operations of its blood services and the society’s blood services teams have been reinforcing the blood supplies at the hospitals.

MDA has also offered first aid training to the public through a training project called ‘Until the ambulance arrives’. MDA has for example launched a project to increase the response capacities of the community in Dimona (33,000 inhabitants, in the range of 40 km from Gaza, with no 24/7 health care facility. The society has also distributed first aid kits to some 80 public shelters as part of its preparedness initiatives.

Eli Bin, MDA Director General, instructed that the regular humanitarian activities, including transferring the sick and injured from the Gaza border to hospitals in Israel, will not cease.