Dr. Dan Schwarzfuchs
Director of the emergency department at Soroka Medical Center and deputy director of the hospital.
“The moment I heard the sirens, I immediately got into the car and drove to the emergency room. It never occurred to me that a ballistic missile had struck our hospital directly. Just minutes after I arrived, we were already treating casualties injured by the blast, alongside many people suffering from anxiety who flooded into the ER.
The missile struck a building where, just a day earlier, many patients had been hospitalized – patients we had relocated to protected areas but the missile caused severe damage to entire departments – departments intended to save lives.
At Soroka Medical Center, we don’t rely on luck – we rely on preparedness. That’s why the building that was hit had been evacuated the day before, as part of a pre-planned strategy that we implemented and adapted according to the evolving situation. Thanks to that evacuation, we were able to save the lives of patients and staff members who were moved to more protected departments, thereby preventing loss of life.
Immediately after the strike, we opened a dedicated wing in the ER to treat those wounded by the blast- while ensuring the emergency department continued to operate as usual. Soroka is a major regional medical center serving around one million residents in the Negev, and we cannot afford to stop saving lives – not even when a missile hits us. We didn’t pause for a moment.
After we had treated all the casualties from the missile strike, I gathered the ER team and told them: ‘We have no injury time.’ We must remain on constant alert, 24/7. Indeed, the very next day, another missile landed in the city of Be’er Sheva, about 800 meters from the hospital – and we were ready. Every casualty we received was treated immediately.
During the October 7th attack, in just the first 24 hours, we received over 670 casualties – including around 130 in serious to critical condition. All were treated professionally and without exception. I always say: what works well in routine excels in emergencies. And Soroka Hospital proves that, time and time again. I am proud to be part of this place.
In the past, missiles have fallen on the city, but this is the first time a ballistic missile has directly hit the hospital. I’m convinced it wasn’t a case of mistaken identity. When you search for ‘Soroka Hospital’ on Google Maps, the red marker points exactly to the building that was hit. It’s hard for me to believe that’s a coincidence. This was a direct strike on a civilian target – on a place meant to save lives.”