Following the Iranian missile strike that seriously damaged Soroka Medical Center—southern Israel’s only top-tier hospital—the Health Ministry has instructed all hospitals to drastically reduce their inpatient numbers and prepare for maximum patient discharge.
A letter sent Thursday by Deputy Health Ministry Director Dr. Sefi Mandelovich directed hospital and HMO administrators to immediately implement sweeping measures to thin inpatient populations. Among them: new guidelines to discharge women 12 hours after childbirth, compared to the current standard of 36 hours for vaginal births and 48 hours for cesarean sections.
Hospitals are also required to ensure outpatient services can be fully relocated to reinforced shelters within the standard warning time for incoming rocket attacks. Institutions are instructed to rehearse this protocol and advance home hospitalization programs using hospital-based medical teams.
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Hospitals have been told to refresh their internal mass-casualty event protocols, including “emergency evacuation” procedures for wards hit by missiles. Preparations must also include readiness for hazardous materials scenarios, requiring updates to toxicological emergency plans and the activation of outdoor decontamination systems. For radiological events, radiation safety officers must review handling procedures for radioactive spills.
Casualty update: over 2,300 wounded since fighting began
Earlier Thursday, 271 new casualties arrived at hospitals across Israel: four in serious condition, 16 moderate, 220 with minor injuries, 24 suffering from anxiety, and seven still under evaluation. At Soroka alone, the strike injured 71 people lightly and caused one case of trauma-induced anxiety. Most lightly injured individuals were hurt while seeking shelter or required emotional support.
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Evacuating patients from Soroka Hospital after missile strike
(Photo: Spokesman, Magen David Adom)
Since the start of Operation Rising Lion, a total of 2,345 people have been treated at hospitals. The breakdown: 21 seriously injured, 87 moderately, 2,105 lightly, and 99 trauma victims. Most have already been discharged.
To prevent overcrowding in hospital shelters, the Health Ministry is asking the public to avoid non-essential hospital visits and to limit accompanying visitors to only those necessary.
The Health Ministry continues to coordinate emergency response efforts across the health care system as Israel faces sustained missile threats.