Operation Israel: Saving soldiers one donation at a time - opinion

More than half a year after Hamas invaded Israel’s southern towns and villages, the war against the terror group remains ongoing, leaving behind it a prolonged trail of tragic death and destruction. Since Hamas first attacked, people worldwide have gathered to support Israel, with our team at Operation Israel leading efforts to ensure IDF soldiers are well-equipped to persevere through this long and challenging war.

Operation Israel does not provide soldiers with weapons or other offensive equipment but rather with items in short supply or difficult to acquire in the context of army supply lines, which they need to carry out missions safely.

Take eye-protection goggles, for example, which soldiers in the thick of battle need to protect their eyes as bombs explode around them. E., a captain in the Reserves 79th tank battalion, who, for security purposes, cannot be identified by his full name, was in the midst of a post-army service trip to Mount Everest on October 7 when he returned to join his unit in countering the terrorist attackers. His reserve unit was provided with only the most basic equipment, which did not include eye protection. 

Operation Israel was able to procure eye protection for E.’s unit just in time. “Three weeks in, we didn’t have the eye guards, and when they arrived, we started using them right away,” says E. 

“A few days later, we found ourselves in an ambush, next to a building that the terrorists blew up, with the intention of harming us. Then they started firing RPGs and AK47s at us, and some of the soldiers were injured in various places – but none in the eyes, thanks to the protective gear.” 

E.’S STORY is just one of many that attest to the importance of the supply line program we established. Throughout the war, the program has helped over 400 IDF units, consisting of some 22,000 soldiers who have received over 35,000 items. 

To pay for this, Operation Israel has raised over $8 million in donations; but as significant as this is, it’s just not enough. To date, Operation Israel has received more than 300,000 requests for assistance, and new requests continue to come in daily, adding to this already high number.

Among those are requests for items like tactical magnifiers – equipment that helps soldiers in the field better identify and engage targets at a distance. An officer in the Yahalom unit says that these magnifiers “are super-helpful because they enable you to see the target more clearly. They help you recognize whether a person is an IDF soldier or a terrorist, ensuring that we only target terrorists and avoid friendly-fire incidents,” which, unfortunately, have happened in this war.

“The help we received was crucial because obtaining this equipment through regular channels would have been difficult, if not impossible, due to bureaucracy. It’s safe to say that we were able to avoid numerous self-imposed casualties thanks to this equipment,” the Yahalom officer says.

Operation Israel has also been ensuring that soldiers have the medical supplies they need. M., a reserve combat paramedic in the Duvdevan unit, told us that continuous capnograph, which measures the amount of CO2 in an injured person’s stomach and lungs, was invaluable. 

The standard army-issued capnograph only provides a single reading of CO2 levels. However, the device Operation Israel provided helped show the continuous high CO2 levels in the soldier’s stomach, allowing him to receive the proper intubation to ensure he would not die of asphyxiation caused by his injuries. 

“Without this continuous CO2 monitor, there is no way I would have been able to know this soldier’s condition,” M. says. “The capnograph we received saved this soldier’s life.”

International donations drying up

STORIES LIKE these are not isolated cases; they could be multiplied hundreds if not thousands of times – and the needs remain overwhelming. Unfortunately, the political climate surrounding Israel has turned increasingly negative in recent months, leading to a decline in donations. 

In addition, the financial strain of the war is making it even more challenging for the IDF to procure the life-saving equipment its soldiers desperately need – from basic supplies like tents, flashlights, and boots, to essential medical gear such as first-aid kits, field equipment, and everything in between. 

As a result, the team at Operation Israel has had to double its efforts to raise funds and gather equipment to meet our soldiers’ urgent and vital needs. As long as the war continues, we will continue these efforts.

But we can’t do it alone. We need all of Israel’s supporters around the world to help us meet the staggering demand for critical supplies that our soldiers desperately need to keep fighting and stay safe. We’re committed to this cause, and we’re counting on our community’s support to see it through.

The writer is the founder of Operation Israel, a nonprofit founded soon after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. It has sent over $8 million worth of critical supplies to the frontlines.