Israel to send protective gear to emergency-service providers in Ukraine

Helmets and vests will arrive following a request made by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, said Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

Example of a modern combat helmet (British Mk 6 with cloth cover). Credit: Richard Harvey via Wikimedia Commons.

(JNS) Israel will send helmets and vests to Ukraine’s rescue and emergency services, the Office of Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced on Wednesday.

During a phone call between Gantz and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, the Israeli defense minister said the protective gear will arrive following a request made to the Israeli Ministry of Defense from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

Gantz’s office said it’s “part of Israel’s extensive effort to provide humanitarian aid, which includes the establishment of a field hospital, the absorption of refugees and immigrants, the provision of food and medical assistance, and more.”

The ministers also discussed Israel’s role as part of international efforts to bring an end to the war in eastern Europe, according to Gantz’s office.

On March 22, Israel began accepting patients at its humanitarian field hospital in Western Ukraine, where it will treat people affected by the war raging in the country.

Situated in the city of Mostyska and called “Kochav Meir,” the 66-bed hospital is open 24/7 and staffed by more than 60 personnel.

Capable of treating 150 patients at a time, it includes a triage area; an ER ward; men’s, women’s and children’s wards; labor and delivery facilities; imaging and telehealth technologies; mental-health services; a lab; a pharmacy; and an outpatient clinic.