As Israel faces ongoing security challenges and painful losses, one place continues to reflect a different kind of reality—where life begins each day with the sound of newborn cries. At Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim, which records more than 22,000 births annually, staff are managing the country’s busiest maternity system under the extraordinary conditions of wartime.

In an interview, Bat Ami Yisrael, who has served for 17 years as head of nursing in the hospital’s maternity and newborn division, described the complex preparations, dramatic moments during air raid sirens, and the emotional scenes of husbands arriving straight from the front lines to the delivery room.

One of the most immediate challenges at the outbreak of the war was ensuring the safety of mothers, newborns, and medical staff, while maintaining uninterrupted care. To achieve this, the hospital carried out a rapid logistical overhaul.

“The entire maternity system is operating fully in protected areas,” Yisrael explained. “The delivery rooms were relocated to a dedicated and private secure complex, and the maternity triage unit was moved entirely into a shelter. Our goal was clear: when a siren sounds, the mothers and staff remain where they are. No one needs to run anywhere. Even if we are in the middle of a cesarean section, care continues as usual, and the sirens simply pass over us.”

She noted that the maternity wards, nursery, and neonatal intensive care unit remain in their original above-ground locations, as those areas are already well fortified. “It creates two parallel worlds,” she said. “Outside there is war, and inside we continue to bring life into the world, giving mothers a complete sense of security.”

The pressures of war have also changed how women arrive to give birth. Hospital staff have observed two main trends: some women come very early out of fear of being caught on the road during a siren, while others arrive at the last possible moment and give birth quickly.

To address both the heavy volume and the need to remain in protected areas, the hospital established a new dedicated induction unit adjacent to a shelter, designed for women who require labor induction. “In the past, women would have to wait until a delivery room became available,” Yisrael said. “Today, thanks to the new unit, the induction process begins immediately, without delays. We are seeing tremendous satisfaction among mothers.” She added that no prior registration is required to give birth at the hospital.

One of the greatest challenges during this time has been the absence of husbands, many of whom have been called up for reserve duty. “We have quite a few stories of husbands who missed the birth because they were in Gaza, or those who arrived directly from combat, and sadly also husbands who were injured in the war,” Yisrael said. In such cases, the maternity staff step in with even greater support, surrounding the mother with care and emotional strength.

One story illustrates the intensity of the situation: a woman was on her way to the hospital when a siren sounded, forcing the couple to stop along the road. Labor progressed rapidly in the car, and by the time they reached the hospital parking lot, the baby was already being delivered. “Our midwives literally ran out to meet them in the parking lot and delivered the baby there,” Yisrael recalled. “There was a great deal of uncertainty because of the siren on the way, but everything ended well, and the power of that moment was indescribable.”

For the medical staff, working in a maternity ward during wartime brings a unique sense of purpose. In contrast to the loss and grief reported daily, they experience a profound sense of mission.

“There is an overwhelming feeling of pride and of being part of something divine,” Yisrael said. “Every birth is powerful, but when you know that outside people are being killed, and here you are part of the continuation of the world and bringing new life—it is a privilege like no other. This is our true victory.”

{Matzav.com}