Hospitals under fire: The war we fought behind the headlines - opinion

Beginning on June 13, Israel came under relentless fire from Iran. Day after day, the Islamic Republic launched missile barrages at Israel’s civilian population centers. Dozens of Israelis were killed, hundreds injured, and millions of Israelis were forced into shelters, often multiple times a day. Cities, towns, and rural communities alike were under constant threat.

Yet amid the chaos and conflict, there was another war being waged far from the cameras and news conferences, a war inside Israel’s hospitals.

This war is not about territory or headlines; it is about human lives, trauma, urgency, and a quiet kind of heroism that takes place every day in our medical centers. As medical professionals, we lived this war in every hallway, operating room, and emergency shelter.

Nevertheless, the message was clear: hospitals were being deliberately targeted.

This is not just an escalation in rhetoric or a military maneuver; this is an assault on the very institutions that care for the vulnerable, the wounded, and the sick. This is a threat to the heart of our people and society.

Just as with our brave soldiers on the frontlines, when called into action, our preparedness, determination, and fulfilling the mission are paramount.

Early last Friday morning, when sirens went off, we began a mission against time, transferring hundreds of patients to the “underground hospital” we had prepared, which is practically a hospital in itself, located in the underground parking area. On the afternoon before, it had been full of cars; 24 hours later, patients were being treated there.

We were able to do all this, thanks to our heroes – our devoted and professional staff.

One of the toughest challenges is the operating rooms. Unfortunately, many hospital buildings are old, and the operating rooms are not sheltered or protected. Some hospitals built operating rooms in an underground area, which few thought would ever be used, to deliver life-saving surgery in a space never designed for complex procedures.

This month, these haven’t been hypothetical drills; they were daily occurrences.

We were forced to conduct operations underground while rockets fell above us. We stabilized trauma patients knowing another missile may come within seconds.

It was not just our staff that was under pressure. It was our entire infrastructure.

Fortified zones, while lifesaving, are limited in space and not designed for long-term critical care; beds are crowded, there is noise, lack of privacy, an increased risk of infections, and even the inability to shut the lights at night.

I can personally testify that although these were the conditions, patients were very grateful.

Power is stretched, supplies are carefully rationed, and the psychological toll on patients and staff alike is immense. Our doctors and nurses have families of their own in shelters, yet they show up to work day after day, night after night. They are the unsung defenders of this country.

Nevertheless, this moment demands more than gratitude; it demands global attention.

Despite everything, we are not broken. In fact, we are more united and determined than ever.

However, no hospital should ever be a target. No doctor should have to choose between sheltering their own children and saving someone else’s. No country should be asked to conduct its entire healthcare system in a state of constant emergency.

To those who have watched from abroad, I urge you: don’t let this be a footnote. See what’s happening. Assist us and speak out. Understand that this is not just Israel’s burden; it is a test of how much the world still values the protection of civilian life, even in war.

As medical professionals, we will keep showing up. We will keep saving lives, but we cannot, and should not, do it alone or in silence.