‘I was sure I was going to die’
Magen David Adom emergency responders remember the lives lost as they continue their courageous, life-saving work.
Two years since the attacks of October 7, 2023, communities continue to grieve for loved ones killed, injured, or taken hostage, while many still live with the lasting effects of fear and loss.
Among those deeply affected are the emergency responders of Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency medical service.
As they mark this solemn anniversary, they honour their fallen colleagues by continuing to protect and care for people in times of crisis.
“I heard screams and gunshots, and then the call cut off. I tried calling back, but there was no answer.”
Linoy El-Ezra, an MDA emergency dispatcher, recalls the moment she realized her team was dealing with a situation far larger and more serious than anything they had ever encountered.
As relentless barrages of rocket fire shook in the background, Linoy noticed her colleagues around her were all receiving very similar calls. Everyone was on alert.
And then came another call. On the other end of the line was a small voice: Michael, nine years old. He told Linoy that his father and mother had been shot. Linoy tried to determine if there was any chance of saving the parents, asking Michael to talk to them.
Michael called: “Aba? Ima? (father? Mother?)” but there was no answer. At Linoy’s request, he described their wounds. She realized she had to do everything in her power to protect the child. She instructed him to lock the door of the house and go inside the safe room. “And then I heard him say: ‘Amalia, come!’”
'Their utmost to save lives'
Linoy’s heart sank as she realized that there was another little child in the house, around six years old. A lump rose in her throat. But she had to save the children.
She told them to shut the door of the safe room, but they could not do so, as the metal door was too heavy. Linoy told them to find a cupboard, hide inside, and not to come out until help arrives.
“When I lifted my head,” Linoy says, “I saw that everyone else in the room was having the same conversations. No one got up from their seats; everyone did their utmost to save lives.”
Michael and Amalia, the children, hid in a cupboard for 12 long hours until they were rescued. Their parents didn’t survive, however. Their younger sister Abigail, only 3 years old, was taken to Gaza and released after almost two months in captivity.
Saving lives under fire
Linoy's story is just one of the many memories that still haunt the volunteers and staff of Magen David Adom, two years after the October 7, 2023 attacks.
More than 1,160 people were killed, and thousands more were injured. 251 people were taken hostage, 48 out of whom remain in captivity until now.
About 250,000 people along the northern border were displaced from their homes into temporary shelters, and many still have not been able to return.
On a typical Saturday, MDA’s emergency dispatch center receives about 5,000 calls. On October 7, 2023, more than 21,700 emergency calls were received. Dispatchers coped with thousands of complex and heartbreaking calls.
Dispatchers sent ambulances, provided first aid instructions, offered comfort, and tried to calm callers.
Thirty-two thousand volunteers and thousands of staff from MDA work across the country, many of whom provided lifesaving medical treatment to the wounded, including their own families and neighbors. Each ambulance was staffed, and dozens of additional teams were dispatched to the south.
The teams evacuated around 1,000 casualties to hospitals using ambulances, mobile intensive care units, and helicopters.
'A never-ending nightmare'
Crews set up improvised treatment sites in synagogues, local MDA stations, and private homes when roads became unsafe.
“It was a never-ending nightmare,” says Chaim Rubin, an ambulance crew member who helped turn a synagogue into a makeshift emergency room.
“We were using up all the supplies we had. We were forced to improvise. I saw some amazing teamwork and generosity.
At a certain point, we also ran out of gas. We spoke to people from the village, and they got us a container of gas from the tractors.”
Chaim describes the sense of danger that hung over them: “I was sure I was going to die. I thought of writing something. In the end, I decided to call my wife, to talk to her, to make sure that she was okay.”
Colleagues killed while protecting the wounded
Keeping their memory and the flame of humanity alive.
Seven members of Magen David Adom were killed while rescuing others. Two colleagues were severely injured, and many lost family members or homes. Fourteen ambulances were damaged, three destroyed.
They are remembered for their dedication and courage:
Aharon Haimov, 25: Senior EMT and Ambulance Driver
Avia Hatzroni, 69: Senior EMT and Ambulance Driver
Amit Mann, 22: Paramedic
Michel Nisenbaum, 59: Volunteer EMT
Dolev Yehud, 35: Volunteer EMT
Lior Rudaif, 62: Volunteer EMT and Ambulance Driver
Ronen (Tommy) Engel, 54: Volunteer EMT
Acts of compassion
On that day alone, MDA’s National Blood Services collected about 5,000 blood units to replenish hospitals. MDA’s Human Milk Bank supplied breast milk to infants separated from their mothers.
“In one of the kibbutzim, a pregnant woman went into labor while under fire. Her husband was critically injured with a head shot wound,” recalls Prof. Eilat Shinar, MDA Deputy Director General and Director of the Blood Services.
“An MDA paramedic reached her home and evacuated her to the hospital, where she gave birth.
However, due to the immense stress she endured, she was unable to produce milk. For several months, we have been supplying her baby with donated breast milk - and today, the child is thriving.”
Never forgetting, remaining ready
Two years on, MDA continues to strengthen its capacity to respond to emergencies.
Its ambulance fleet has been expanded to 2,000 ambulances to ensure that they can be where help is needed.
This includes everything from training residents and midwives in basic medical response to supporting older people and ensuring quick checks on those trapped or injured.
MDA crews across the country remain on high alert, and the memory of October 7 is never far from their minds as they continue to respond day in, day out.
Built with Shorthand