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NAHARIYA — For 14 months, Debbie Cohen and her dedicated team of nurses at Galilee Medical Center worked tirelessly in underground, fortified rooms, as Hezbollah launched relentless missile and rocket attacks on northern Israel.
These attacks were part of the broader conflict that erupted after Hamas terrorists breached Israel’s southern border on October 7, 2023, resulting in widespread devastation and loss of life.
But on December 8, 2024, 11 days after a temporary ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel took effect, Cohen and her staff were able to leave their dark, windowless underground facilities and return to their regular wards in the Women’s Health Wing. For Cohen, it felt like returning home.
The war, which began with the Gaza conflict in October, saw Hezbollah intensifying its attacks on northern Israeli communities.
The situation became so dire that hospitals in the region, including Galilee Medical Center, had to move operations to underground facilities as part of national directives from the Health Ministry and the IDF Homefront Command.
Despite these precautions, hospitals like Galilee remained on high alert, with staff and resources prepared for potential communication shutdowns, mass casualties, and further destruction.
Throughout the conflict, northern hospitals treated over 4,900 individuals, including both civilians and soldiers.
Dr. Tsvi Sheleg, the deputy director of Galilee Medical Center, reflected on the immense strain of those months. However, he emphasized that even after the ceasefire, the hospital remained prepared for the possibility of future attacks.
“The calm of the ceasefire is easy to get used to, but it could happen again,” said Sheleg. “We’re still prepared to go underground if necessary.”
Nearby, at Ziv Medical Center in Safed, the hospital staff also began to return to routine services after the ceasefire.
Director Prof. Salman Zarka mentioned that the lessons learned during the war were informing improvements in hospital security, with plans to address any gaps in the facility’s defenses.
In Haifa, Rambam Medical Center’s deputy director, Dr. Yael Shachor-Meyouhas, shared similar sentiments, stating that despite the threat of frequent rockets, the hospital kept its operations running, with the goal of maintaining routine care for patients.
The hospital’s fortified underground emergency facility, initially used to protect patients during rocket attacks, was now being utilized for its original purpose as a parking lot.
For many at Galilee Medical Center, the transition back to normalcy is a bittersweet moment. Kate Naumenko, head nurse of the orthopedic surgery department, reflected on the challenges of the underground conditions.
“There was no natural light, and space was limited,” Naumenko said. “But now, we are back in a place where we can provide the care our patients deserve.”
Despite the trauma of the past months, the staff finds solace in the simple joys of life. Cohen described how the birth of babies in the maternity ward — including two sets of twins — has provided hope and strength to the team. “Hearing the ‘mazel tov,’ makes this the happiest ward in the hospital,” she said.
Cohen also highlighted the diversity within the hospital staff and patients. “Babies are born here from all religions — Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Circassians. We’re one nation, one heart,” she said, emphasizing the unity that persists even amidst the horrors of war. For those at Galilee Medical Center, it is a renewal of life that continues to offer a glimmer of hope.