Soroka’s staff stand strong: Health workers push on after missile strike in Be’er Sheva

When a ballistic missile struck Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva in late June, the damage was visible: shattered windows, collapsed ceilings, and smoke drifting through the hospital’s anesthesia wing. What remains less visible, but no less critical, is the toll on the workers who sustained operations under fire.

The attack, launched from Iran, directly hit a central part of the hospital during early morning hours. Miraculously, no staff or patients were killed. But the emotional and operational costs are profound.

Histadrut Chairman Visits the Frontline of Healthcare

Arnon Bar-David, the Chairman of the Histadrut visited Soroka Medical Center last week. He met with the hospital’s director, Shlomi Kadosh, who presented the missile strike from several angles as captured by the security cameras. “We’ve just experienced an event that should never have happened — a missile strike in the center of the hospital. We are still in the process of recovery and rebuilding. We need the state’s support, and I am grateful for the unimaginable dedication of our staff.”

Bar-David recalls that his first reaction to the reported hit was to give a call to the workers’ committee chair, Gila Levi, to affirm the Histadrut’s support of the hospital’s workers. A month later, during his visit there, Bar-David told the hospital leadership and the staff he met: “It was important for me to come here in person with my team to strengthen you and to tell you how proud we are of you — the hospital staff — and of the management of this excellent medical institution. You are the pride of the healthcare system, and your performance is truly admirable.”

“We Cannot Continue This Way”: A Call for Urgent Funding

Earlier this month, in a Knesset committee meeting on the rehabilitation of Soroka Medical Centre, Shaul Skif, the Chairman of the Israel Nurses Union of the Histadrut, said: “I am saddened that that missile had to strike [Soroka hospital] so that we understand that we cannot continue this way. It cannot continue to be that there is only one medical centre in the Negev that for years has been underfunded, where there are not enough medical teams… The teams, it is incredible what they do to keep providing services to the citizens.”

He further said “we cannot continue to [only] clap our hands at those teams there….. we need to remove any possible barrier [to appropriate recovery funding].” Finaly, he asked the Knesset committee to prioritise assistance to ensure the recovery of the hospital personnel who suffer from trauma from this event.

Firsthand Accounts: Trauma in the Anesthesia Wing

Indeed, shortly after the hit, Davar reported on accounts of hospitall staff that were traumatised from the hit: “I still hear the boom in my ears,” said Mira, a secretary in the anesthesia department. “We had seconds to decide where to run—some of us dove under desks, others sprinted to reinforced rooms.” Her voice trembled as she recalled the moment windows shattered around her.

Hospital staff, already under immense strain due to months of wartime medical pressure, now face a renewed layer of trauma. “We’re facing a threat we don’t fully understand,” Bar Siman Tov said. “These missiles are different. From the moment we saw what happened in Bat Yam and elsewhere, we realized the nature of the damage requires a different kind of preparation, and we are constantly ensuring hospitals can maintain functional continuity and provide care.”

The missile destroyed critical parts of the pediatric cardiology department—a unit that treats Jewish, Arab, and Bedouin children from across the region. Luckily, it was not open yet at the time of the attack. Despite the devastation, medical teams rushed back to continue care. Dr. Hanna Krimko, a pediatric cardiologist, ran into the hospital as soon as it was safe to leave the shelter.

Solidarity in Action

The Histadrut stands firm in its commitment to the workers who held the line under fire. Their courage, professionalism, and humanity in the face of unimaginable danger are a testament to the strength of Israel’s public healthcare system. But resilience alone is not enough. The Histadrut will continue to work alongside the hospital’s workers’ committees to ensure full recovery, investing in the people behind the care, and removing every possible barrier to rebuilding a stronger, safer future for Soroka and the entire Negev.