A week after undergoing surgeries to stabilize his hand and leg at Soroka Medical Center, N., a 24-year-old IDF combat soldier, survived a direct Iranian missile strike on the hospital.
Injured in combat and unable to reach a protected area during the siren due to his leg wound, he remained in his bed. “The impact was right next to us,” he recalled in an interview. “The building shook, ceiling parts fell, windows shattered. It was terrifying, everything was smoking, but we made it through.”
Days earlier, on the Friday when the war with Iran erupted, N. was wounded during an operation in Gaza’s Jabaliya. Ambushed by terrorists, he and a comrade were shot at close range, with bullets hitting his abdomen, right leg and left hand. “It’s a miracle the shots missed vital organs,” he said.
“In my hand, the bullet narrowly missed a nerve, and in my leg, it passed by the knee without penetrating it.” Evacuated to Soroka in critical condition, he underwent immediate surgeries. The missile strike a week later sparked a fire on the hospital’s sixth floor, forcing N. and other patients to evacuate.
“They carried us out on stretchers because I couldn’t use the stairs,” he said. Due to extensive damage, Soroka reduced its patient load, sending some home and transferring others, including N., to Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv.
Dr. Koren Dotan, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Sourasky’s rehabilitation unit, said N. was admitted to the orthopedic ward in the hospital’s fortified underground complex.
Recently transferred to the young adults’ rehabilitation unit, N. underwent another hand surgery and faces additional procedures by month’s end to remove fixations. “We’re focusing on restoring function to his left hand and gradually starting walking rehabilitation through physiotherapy and occupational therapy,” Dotan explained.
A lone soldier from the U.S., N. made aliyah to Israel three years ago, joining his two older brothers who had arrived earlier. After studying in a yeshiva, he volunteered for the IDF at 18 through the specialized Mahal program for olim, committing to 18 months of service. “I always wanted to live in Israel,” he said.
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“At 18, I didn’t think about it twice—I had to enlist to be part of the nation.” Since joining at the onset of the war in Gaza, he fought in the Strip for months. Initially offered an intelligence role, he chose to be a combat soldier. “I’m proud of what I did,” he said. “Training prepares you for it.” Recently discharged, he spent his final month in the IDF hospitalized.
Now navigating recovery with his mother, who arrived from the U.S. shortly after his injury, N. relies on a wheelchair adorned with a “new driver” sign crafted by his brother to lift his spirits. “It’s great having my mom here,” he said, smiling.
“The hospital staff has been amazing and we’re so grateful.” Despite his injuries, N. plans to study at university and settle in Israel but remains focused on recovery. “I’ve got time,” he said. “Right now, it’s about healing.”