Carrie Keller-Lynn / The Times of Israel
Israel has opened a large field hospital this week in Mostyska, western Ukraine capable of treating hundreds as Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett continued his shuttle diplomacy with phone calls with Presidents Zelensky and Putin.
Yoav Bistritsky, the Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine stated that the hospital will raise the level of care available to refugees and local residents as the “team will bring to Ukraine the best knowledge, the most innovative opportunities”. In his closing statement, he said that Israel “promise to keep supporting Ukraine in the coming future”.
The hospital, located on the grounds of a primary school near the Polish border, consists of 10 outdoor tents and several classrooms converted into wards – it cost NIS 21 million (nearly £5 million). There are 150 hospital beds and 100 Israeli staff members, 80 of which are doctors or nurses chosen for their ability to speak Ukrainian or Russian.
The head of the field hospital mission, David Dagan, explains that the hospital is prepared for trauma patients, but they expect that most of their cases will be paediatric patients or people with chronic illnesses. Dr Goldstein, head of Trauma Surgery at Wolfson Medical Centre in Israel, and is currently working at the field hospital, said that the team does not know what to expect in terms of trauma cases from the war but “is ready to do anything”. If surgery is needed, the Israeli doctors will work with staff at the local hospital and use their theatre.
Many of the Israelis currently working at the field hospital view their “mission” as to “make sure the Ukrainian people know they’re not alone in this crisis”.
As well as providing aid to Ukraine, Israel has taken the position of mediator between Ukraine and Russia, with Ukrainian President Zelensky announcing on Thursday that he had spoken again with Israel’s Prime Minister Bennett. Israel’s mediation efforts continue at the request of Ukraine’s President Zelensky and there has also been speculation that Jerusalem could host peace talks. Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel previously stated that the nation “is the only democratic state in the world that has great relations with both Ukraine and Russia”, and called the peace effort “priceless”, explaining that they view it as “much more important than sales of weapons or munitions”.
