A first aid center established in Beersheba after a missile strike hit a residential neighborhood has provided shelter to 1,083 people who were forced to evacuate their apartments, including 577 families and households who suddenly found themselves homeless.
Of these evacuees, 365 relocated to the Leonardo Hotel in the city, while others sought refuge with family or used alternative housing options.
In response to the crisis, Mayor Ruvik Danilovich ordered the creation of the "Lavi" authority to coordinate the care of evacuees. This includes those whose homes were damaged by missiles launched from Iran or severely affected by the blast force of the strike.
The authority is led by Dudi Lipshitz, a municipal employee who set up a headquarters just a few hundred meters from where a missile struck a residential building in the Neve Ze'ev neighborhood during the 12 Day War in June.
The group is also tasked with assisting those displaced by the missile that exploded in an empty lot in a residential area and caused significant damage to nearby buildings. The team began working with evacuees shortly after assessing the initial damage.
Many of the evacuees from Neve Ze'ev have not yet been able to return home. In a different strike zone in the Ramot (High-Tech Park) neighborhood, families have begun returning to their residences after repairs were made to address the extensive damage caused by a nearby missile strike.
Several residential buildings damaged in missile strike
Earlier this week, a missile strike damaged a cluster of buildings in the city, affecting hundreds of apartments to varying degrees. Of these, 198 apartments were declared uninhabitable.
Notably, two entire buildings near the strike site were also deemed unfit for habitation and are expected to be demolished to make room for new construction. These buildings housed about 500 residents, including elderly people and those with mobility challenges, and the "Lavi" unit is working to find them alternative housing.
Southern District Police Commander, Superintendent Chaim Bubli, reported that approximately 10 buildings were damaged in the attack, requiring the evacuation of residents.
The missile strike in the neighborhood resulted in 101 reported injuries. One person remains in moderate condition, while the others are either in light condition or were categorized as suffering from anxiety-related trauma.
Dr. Tzachi Slotzsky, Deputy Director of Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, provided an update on the person in moderate condition, explaining that they sustained cuts to their face and body. The individual is undergoing a CT scan and will remain under observation at the medical center.
Soroka Medical Center reported treating 158 injured individuals during Operation Roaring Lion. This included people who were injured while rushing to secure areas, as well as many others suffering from anxiety and stress.