Evangelical organization Samaritan’s Purse donates 28 armored ambulances to Magen David Adom in memory of slain American-Israeli hostages
Samaritan’s Purse, an American Evangelical humanitarian aid organization, has committed to giving 28 armored ambulances to Israel’s national emergency services system Magen David Adom (MDA) on Thursday.
This donation comes in addition to dozens of life-saving vehicles that were previously purchased since Oct. 7 – including 14 rescue ambulances that replaced ones destroyed by Hamas the day of the onslaught itself.
Reverend Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse, surprised MDA with the announcement when he attended the cornerstone ceremony for a new ambulance station in the community of Avshalom, on the Gaza Border.
He dedicated two armored ambulances in the memory of three American-Israelis killed by Hamas; Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Roi Idan and Smadar Mor-Idan.
Hersh was taken hostage from the Nova Festival and murdered 11 months later in Gaza. Roi and Smadar were murdered in their home in front of their children. Their four-year-old daughter, Avigail Idan, was later taken hostage to Gaza, while her older siblings survived the attack by hiding in a closet for 12 hours.
“Today we are in Israel to dedicate the two armored ambulances that have just arrived, as well as a new ambulance center near the Gaza border where there has not been one before,” said Graham. “The need is so great, we have just committed to providing 28 more armored ambulances. The MDA team are heroes, saving lives every day, and it is an honor to stand with them.”
A second ambulance station will be established thanks to Samaritan’s Purse in Shlomi, a town adjacent to Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
“The generosity of Reverend Franklin Graham and his organization Samaritan’s Purse knows no bounds,” said Eli Bin, Director General of Magen David Adom. “The entire people of Israel are indebted to this great man and organization.”
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
