The War in Israel Through the Eyes of First Responders

It’s been six years since Gaber Abo Gafer joined United Hatzalah and founded the Rahat Chapter. 

On October 7, 2023, members of the Rahat chapter responded to five missile attacks within the city of Rahat. Since the onset of the war, volunteers from the chapter have been tirelessly responding to medical emergencies and communal efforts in the area, including providing humanitarian aid to residents of, and first responders in, the Gaza Periphery.

Some of these communal efforts expand beyond medical assistance and focus on a deep sense of brotherhood and solidarity. Within the city of Rahat lies a Kosher food manufacturing plant, but due to recent security developments, it was abandoned. The Rahat volunteers, together with other local community members, saw this as an opportunity and used its facilities to make hot kosher meals for the soldiers and first responders on the front lines.

Another example took place during Shabbat when Muslim members of the Rahat chapter from the city and the surrounding area took over many of the ambulance shifts in the Gaza Periphery, enabling their Jewish peers to have a day of rest.

“Medical response in times of war has a unique added challenge, since the volunteers don’t only need to respond to the medical emergency, but also need to protect themselves while doing so,” Gafer explained. On October 9 just after 11 p.m. police and United Hatzalah volunteers were dispatched in the city of Rahat for a suspected terrorist attack. However, Gafer was forced to respond to the emergency alone, since there were not enough bulletproof vests and helmets for the rest of his team. “There are 70 volunteers in the city and only one set of protective equipment,” added Samara Ala, head of the Muslim and Christian divisions of United Hatzalah. “These are critical supplies right now, as during wartime our volunteers are not allowed to respond to medical emergencies outside of their own town without this protective equipment. It is simply too dangerous in many parts of the country. This is why we need more donations so that we can purchase more bulletproof vests and helmets for all of our volunteers.”

'We Pray for Better Days'

With the recent purchase of medical supplies and protective equipment that United Hatzalah has made, a number of vests have been allocated to volunteers in Rahat, but not enough to supply the majority of the team.

“We have more than 700 Muslim and Christian volunteers in United Hatzalah who are spread out from the Galilee to the southern Negev,” Samara explained. “These volunteers treat every injured or ill person who needs help, regardless of religion or nationality. At United Hatzalah we give our time to save lives, and we do that from a strong belief that we should help any person in need of medical attention. We are very proud to be a part of the United Hatzalah family. During this time of conflict, we have been very active. Whether it has been with renewing and updating equipment, conducting training exercises, or coordinating efforts with the local and regional municipalities. Whether it is in Arab villages, major cities, or on the roads, we are continuing to respond to medical emergencies and save lives every day. Together we pray for better days.”

“The Arab chapters of United Hatzalah have come out in force to help save lives during this difficult period," said Samara. "At the beginning of this past Shabbat, more than two dozen Muslim volunteers took over ambulance shifts in the Gaza Periphery in order to respond to any and all medical emergencies in the region. This is in addition to the numerous Muslim and Christian volunteers who joined the relief efforts in the days immediately following Hamas’ attack. Some of our members have been killed, including Awad Darusha, and others injured like Dr. Tarek Abu Arar, who was held hostage, used as a human shield, and shot by Hamas. Yet we are proud that we are able to do our part and save lives.”

About the United Hatzalah Chapter in Rahat

Rahat is a predominantly Arab Bedouin city located in the south of Israel, with a population of almost 80,000 people. The Rahat chapter includes volunteers from the Arab towns and communities in the area and provides service to those towns as well as anyone on the roadways in the region. Today, that chapter has grown and consists of 70 first responders, 11 of them women. Their continuous contribution has made them an integral part of United Hatzalah’s lifesaving efforts during the war as well as during peacetime. 

Raphael Poch is the international media spokesperson for United Hatzalah.