Israel’s Underground Blood Bank Experiences Unprecedented Demand as Troops Advance into Gaza

RAMLA, Israel (AP) — Following the recent attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, a new fortified blood bank in the country sprang into action. The Marcus National Blood Services Center in Ramla, near Tel Aviv, had initially been scheduled to open in a few days. However, with over 1,400 people killed in Israel since the Hamas raids, the timeline was accelerated.

Dr. Eilat Shinar, director of the national blood services division of Magen David Adom, stated, “It became very clear we needed to move with the war plans because this was exactly the moment, the event it was built for.” The $135-million, 6-story facility is located 15 meters underground and is designed to withstand rockets, missiles, chemical attacks, and earthquakes.

Shinar added that the center provided tens of thousands of units of blood in the days following the attacks. “We worked very hard to supply everything they needed. We had many injured and we had to treat them,” she said.

The previous blood bank, built in the 1980s, was unable to meet the country’s needs during times of war and had been exposed to previous conflicts. After Israel’s third war against Hamas in 2014, discussions began about the necessity of a more protected facility.

The new center has the capacity to store almost twice the amount of blood compared to its predecessor and has processed more blood than ever before in Israel’s reserves. Moshe Noyovich, the project engineer and representative in Israel for the American Friends of Magen David Adom, explained that previous rocket attacks required the team to move equipment into a bunker to continue operations. However, the new facility allows for uninterrupted operation.

The state-of-the-art building, covering 51,000 square meters, processes all of Israel’s donated blood. It includes a transportation center, a molecular lab, an air-filtration system to enable work during chemical or biological warfare, and a safe room shielded against severe missile threats.

As Israeli troops advance further into the Gaza Strip, the center is preparing for a potential surge in casualties requiring blood transfusions. Thousands of people have already stood in line for hours to donate blood since the war began. In early October, the center received 5,000 units of blood in one day, five times more than usual.

Once donated, the blood is transferred to hospitals and directly given to the Israeli military to treat wounded soldiers on the battlefield. The availability of blood is crucial during times of war for the resuscitation process.

The Marcus National Blood Services Center is playing a vital role in saving lives during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.