A dedication ceremony of 3 bulletproof MICU's took place on February 25th at the MDA (Magen David Adom) headquarters in Ramla. The new Mobile Intensive Care Vehicles were donated by Samaritan's Purse, an organization providing humanitarian aid around the world. MDA Director-General Eli Bin, Samaritan's Purse representative John Silkman, the families of the fallen soldiers, and MDA staff and volunteers attended the ceremony.
The new bulletproof Mobile Intensive Care Vehicles were dedicated in memory of three fallen IDF soldier who were also MDA volunteers.
- Sergeant major (Res.) Nadav Cohen, MDA volunteer, resident of Beit Hanan and a soldier in the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion, who fell on February 6th in Gaza.
- Captain (Res.) Sagi Ya'akov Rubinstein, MDA paramedic, resident of Kibbutz Lavi, fell in battle in southern Lebanon on December 8th, 2024. He was certified as a paramedic in January 2023 and, despite numerous reserve duty deployments as an officer in the 9263 Hiram Battalion of the 226th Brigade, starting October 7th, 2023, continued volunteering in MICU to complete his team leader certification. He began working at Magen David Adom in February 2024 and fell in battle on December 8, 2024.
- MDA Paramedic and IDF soldier in the 52nd Battalion, Agam Naim, resident of Kibbutz Mishmarot, completed her military paramedic course as a top student a year before she fell in battle in Gaza, on September 17th, 2024. She worked her last shift in an MDA ambulance two days before her death.
The new bulletproof MICU's were stationed to operate in Samaria and the Gaza periphery, to help save lives of the residents of these areas. During the ceremony, Tal, the wife of Sagi Yaakov Rubinstein, gave a moving speech thanking Magen David Adom and Samaritan's Purse, and blessing the crews who will use the new ambulances to save lives.
MDA Director-General Eli Bin stated: "Samaritan's Purse has chosen to strengthen MDA, Israel's national emergency rescue organization, and since the beginning of the war has donated dozens of ambulances and intensive care units, most of which are bulletproof. These rescue vehicles have been dedicated in memory of Magen David Adom members who fell during the "Iron Swords War", some of whom were murdered while fulfilling their mission of saving lives, others fell in battle, defending the country. I wish to thank the President and CEO of Samaritan's Purse, Pastor Franklin Graham, and Samaritan's Purse representative John Silkman, who honored us with their presence today. Thank you for your blessed partnership and your generous contribution, which strengthens Magen David Adom for the benefit of the people of Israel. I wish to extend my gratitude to all the families who joined us here today. The new bulletproof emergency vehicles we inaugurated here, bearing the names of your loved ones, will save lives and continue their legacy."
Credit: Eliran avital
