Israelis answer to call, donate blood, food, toys and support

Israelis have been responding to calls to donate blood and items needed by the residents of the south. Thousands have shown up at impromptu collection centers set up by citizens to bring essential equipment for babies, blankets, clothes and food, while others lined up for hours to donate blood at the Tel Aviv Ichilov hospital.

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The Health Ministry called on the public to continue blood donations. The ministry’s Dir. Gen. Moshe Bar Siman Tov said he was moved by the public response. “It exhibits Israeli unity,” he said as he too donated blood.

Donations can be made at:

• The Sheba Medical Center Blood bank (10 am to 8 pm)

• The Petach Tikva Sportan (12 pm to 9 pm)

• Congress Center, Haifa ( 1 pm to 8 pm)

• Carmiel Cultural Hall (2 pm to 9 pm)

• Big Danilof Mall, Tiberias (2 pm to 8 pm)

• Beit Glazer, Kiryat Atat (12 pm to 8 pm)

Hospitals said on Monday that the response had provided them with much-needed blood but asked that only blood type O would be taken at Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Center after people lined up around the block for hours.

Sigal, 29 said she had blood type O and had been hoping to donate since Sunday but was afraid to leave home. “It took three hours just to get a number in line and it would probably be another three hours before my turn arrives, but I feel I cannot leave,” she said. “All I do is watch the news so here at least I feel that I am doing something useful,” she said.

Not far from there, Israelis were collecting donated food, clothes children’s games, and anything that could be delivered to civilians or soldiers in need after many families were forced from their homes and now have nothing.

One table was dedicated to drawings and letters of support for the children of those families and for soldiers now geared to fight.

Protest movements who had been actively opposing the government’s judicial legislation until Saturday morning had now become organizers of volunteers and donations, using their extensive social media following. “We are putting our organizational infrastructure at logistical abilities at the disposal of aid and support efforts for residents and the military, in the south,” they said.

One such group, “Brothers in Arms,” made up of IDF reservists and veterans, set up a transportation apparatus, Building an Alternative – a woman’s organization set up to fight the legislation, was collecting food, including baby formulas as well as pacifiers, bottles, toys and other equipment needed.

The protest groups have also provided online registration for Israelis wishing to host residents of the south unable to go home or needing to be away from the fighting.

Facebook groups have been opened offering babysitting services for medical teams or families where parents have been called up to the military, including offers to shelter their pets. There are even groups of women offering to breastfeed babies, orphaned in the Hamas attack.

Elective surgeries have been canceled as hospitals deal with the thousands of wounded and people in need of medications, and would now be able to receive them at low cost in all pharmacies and not only their dedicated HMOs.

All HMOs opened hotlines offering emotional support.