ZAKA and United Hatzalah, two Israeli volunteer emergency medical organizations, said on Sunday that they were sending delegations with medical personnel and logistical equipment to Sydney after a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration near Bondi Beach, which left at least 11 people killed and dozens of people wounded.
Two suspects were taken into custody shortly after the attack, according to local police.
ZAKA said its teams will assist on the ground by preserving the dignity of the deceased, identifying victims, and accompanying bereaved families.
The Jerusalem Post spoke with ZAKA medic Reuven Reuven at Ben-Gurion Airport, ahead of his crew’s departure to Australia.
“About an hour and a half ago, we received the notification that there are Jewish fatalities in Australia,” Reuven said. “The leadership decided to send a team from Israel, as well as teams from the United States and from Thailand, in order to help the Jewish community there with handling the deceased.”
The number of casualties was still being finalized as preparations continued. “I can’t really say because it keeps increasing all the time,” Reuven noted. “Probably 10 people or more.”
Travel plans include an initial flight via Dubai, with onward travel to Australia. As the delegation prepared to depart, colleagues wished the team success and hoped future meetings would be “only on happy occasions.”
United Hatzalah also announced that it would be sending a team to Australia.
Led by senior members of the organization’s Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, the delegation will provide psychological and emergency assistance to victims of the incident. The multidisciplinary team includes experts with experience in terror attacks and large-scale disasters.
United Hatzalah, headed by founder and president Eli Beer and CEO Prof. Ehud Davidson, expressed solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community and with the families of those killed or wounded in the attack.
'When tragedy strikes, borders do not separate us'
Our mission has always been to save lives in Israel, but our volunteers have consistently responded when called to help elsewhere,” said Beer. “When tragedy strikes, borders do not separate us. We are preparing to send our experts to Sydney to help the Jewish community and support the local authorities.”
Linor Attias, who was set to head the delegation, added, “We are deeply shaken by the murderous attack on the Jewish community in Australia. As a nation familiar with terrorism and trauma and out of solidarity with the Jewish community there, we view it as our responsibility to send a professional team in the coming hours.”