Among the many changes to the lives of Israelis over the past week since tensions began reaching a melting point between Israel and Gaza, one change may have eluded most Israelis, despite practically being broadcast in the streets: the sound of the ambulance sirens.
In order to reduce unnecessary panic among the public, Magen David Adom Director-General Eli Bin earlier this week instructed the teams operating in the field, in MDA ambulances where the possibility exists, to replace the familiar siren with a different sound, which is less similar to the sirens which normally warn Israelis prior to a rocket attack in their area.
Bin said in a statement after making the decision on Tuesday that "these days, we must show maximum sensitivity to the concerns of the Israeli public."
"In order to avoid unnecessary panic, I have instructed that the ambulance sirens be changed so that the public would know to distinguish completely between an alarm that requires arrival at a protected area, and an ambulance siren."
An IDF spokesperson said on Friday that more than 2,000 rockets had been fired from Gaza into Israel since the start of the conflict, around half of them intercepted by missile defense systems and 350 falling short into the Gaza Strip.Reuters contributed to this article.