In a significant move reflecting the harsh lessons of the October 7 Hamas attack, the Israel Police has introduced its first fleet of bulletproof ambulances. The initiative, born from the tragic reality that search and rescue forces were largely unable to enter battle zones during the massacre, aims to prevent a repeat of the scenario where lack of protection for emergency vehicles cost hundreds of lives.
Four new armored ambulances, donated by nonprofits "Israel Friends" and "Let's Do Something," were inaugurated this week in a modest ceremony attended by Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai. These vehicles, equipped with ballistic glass windows and steel plate doors, are designed to withstand fire from AK-47s, pistols, and assault rifles.
"We have only recently finished debriefing the events of October 7th," Shabtai said at the ceremony. "There were officers evacuated in private vehicles that were exposed to gunfire. Armored ambulances are necessary in areas where rescue forces cannot reach."
The ambulances will serve elite units of the Israel Police, including Yamas (Israel Border Police's undercover counter-terrorism unit) and Yasam (special patrol), marking a expansion beyond their previous exclusive use by Israel's National Counter Terrorism Unit (Yamam).
This development comes as part of a broader response to the October 7 attack. Israel Friends, one of the donating organizations, has secured around 500 tons of equipment – totaling roughly $26 million – for the IDF and Israel's security forces since the beginning of the war.
* Israel HaYom contributed to this article.