Nothing less than rage against innocent people.

Nothing less than rage against innocent people. But I also saw the immense potential of peace. It is our duty to preserve life, protect health, and choose hope and peace. To me, showing solidarity with the victims is not about conveying words of sympathy only. It's about physically going where they are. Proximity to member states and their people is paramount. It is how I see leadership at WHO. Presence on the ground is my unbreakable rule.
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Health, emphasized that clinical courage must be supported by preparedness, professional excellence and effective leadership.
The courage and dedication of medical teams on October 7 were extraordinary. But courage alone is not enough. Professional excellence, emergency preparedness and the ability to make critical decisions under pressure are what allow healthcare systems to save lives at scale.
“While Soroka’s medical teams were fighting to save every patient, our responsibility at the national level was to maintain the functioning of the healthcare system, coordinate resources and patient transfers, and ensure that hospitals could continue receiving casualties. In a crisis of this magnitude, leadership and coordination are not simply administrative responsibilities. They are lifesaving capabilities.”
Bar Siman Tov also highlighted the importance of long-term recovery and the relationship between routine healthcare performance and emergency resilience.
“For a healthcare system, October 7 did not end when the last patient left the emergency department. The consequences continue through years of physical rehabilitation and mental healthcare for individuals, families and entire communities.
“Our ability to respond effectively in emergencies begins with excellence in routine care. A healthcare system cannot suddenly become excellent on the day of a crisis. Its professional standards, clinical capabilities, teamwork and public trust are built over years of daily practice.”
Professor Shlomi Codish, Director General of Soroka Medical Center, reflected on the challenges faced by the hospital’s teams.
“On October 7, Soroka’s medical teams confronted an event of extraordinary scale and intensity. Amid chaos and uncertainty, we had to make complex clinical decisions in real time while continuing to provide lifesaving care.
“The footage and firsthand accounts allow international colleagues to understand not only the medical reality we faced, but also the importance of professional teams, coordination and preparedness. The resilience of a hospital is not built in the moment of crisis. It is built through years of everyday clinical practice.”
The event featured a professional panel moderated by Professor Dorit Nitzan, with Bar Siman Tov, Professor Codish, Dr. Zaki Assi, Head of Pediatric Surgery at Saban Children’s Hospital at Soroka, and Camilla Barkan, Deputy Head Nurse of the Frances and Nathan Kirsh Emergency Department at Soroka.
Dr. Assi and Barkan, who were among the medical professionals treating casualties on October 7, shared their experiences of the medical response and the difficult decisions made during the first hours of the attack.
The discussion addressed mass-casualty management, clinical decision-making under pressure, national coordination, staff resilience and the role of public trust in maintaining effective healthcare services during emergencies.
The event was organized by Israel’s Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Israel in Denmark, alongside the annual session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe. It opened with remarks by Professor Nitzan and the Israeli Ambassador to Denmark.
The initiative is part of the Ministry of Health’s efforts to share the medical experience and lessons of October 7 with the international healthcare community, contributing to professional exchange and stronger preparedness for future emergencies, including mass-casualty incidents, armed conflicts and other major crises.
Watch the edited documentary: https://www.youtube.