United Hatzalah Founder and President Eli Beer Retraces October 7 Response Three Years After Massacre

Three years after the October 7 massacre, United Hatzalah Founder and President Eli Beer traveled to southern Israel together with four United Hatzalah volunteers who were among those who responded to the communities, fields and roads attacked that morning.

Beer was joined by United Hatzalah Paramedic Gitty Beer and EMTs Alex Shamis, Yuval Schlafman and David Milgram, each of whom treated and evacuated victims during the Hamas assault.

Together, they returned to areas where, three years ago, amid gunfire, rocket attacks and widespread destruction, more than 1,500 United Hatzalah volunteers worked to save as many lives as they could.

For the volunteers, the journey was both an act of remembrance and a return to places permanently etched in their memories.

“October 7 showed us humanity at its worst, but it also showed us humanity at its very best,” Beer said. “Our volunteers saw death and destruction everywhere, yet their response was to run toward the wounded and fight for every life they could save. Hamas came that morning to murder, destroy and annihilate the Jewish state. Three years later, we are here to declare to our enemies that we are strong and we remember and will never forget those murdered as well as those who courageously stood up to protect us and save lives on that day.”

For United Hatzalah, the third anniversary is also an opportunity to remember its volunteers who lost their lives, as well as the men, women and children who were murdered and the soldiers who fell defending the State of Israel.

Three years later, United Hatzalah volunteers continue to answer the call for help and respond to thousands of emergencies each and every day.