(19 Aug 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Haifa, Israel – 18 August 2024
1. Various of Haifa port facilities
2. Major David Avraham addressing reporters++OVERLAID WITH SOUDNBITE3++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Major David Avraham, Head of the IDF International Press Department:
++SOUNDBITE STARTS ON PREVIOUS SHOT++
"Israel is not in the best neighborhood. We have been preparing for an attack and we are ready for anything. There are diplomatic attempts to de-escalate the situation, but we are ready for everything and anything on any front."
4. IDF Navy ship
5. Haifa port; cargo ships on the background
6. Exterior Ramdam hospital
7. Tilt from overhead pipes and conduits to hospital beds on underground parking lot turned into secure ward
8. Various of beds on parking lot turned into hospital ward
9. Various of underground municipality crisis call center
STORYLINE:
As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel, Sunday, to push for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli authorities showed journalists its preparations for any attack in the northern port city of Haifa.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group has launched drones and rockets into Israel on a near-daily basis since the start of the war, and Israel has responded with airstrikes and artillery.
The violence has escalated, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes on both sides of the border.
Hezbollah has vowed an even more severe attack — without saying when or how — in response to the killing last month of Fouad Shukur, one of its top commanders, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.
Major David Avraham, head of the IDF International Press Department told foreign reporters they have been preparing for an attack and although diplomatic attempts to de-escalate the situation are ongoing, the IDF is “ready for everything and anything on any front."
Near the port, the Ramdam hospital has been making preparations and adapting its underground parking to house some 1200 hospital beds to be able to handle a 60-day attack scenario.
Hospital authorities told foreign reporters visiting the installation they are confident to be able to move doctors, patients and their families to the underground facilities in 8 hours.
Tal Siboni, head of Haifa’s municipality call center said that despite concern of an impending attack, they have not seen “panic" from the people, which he admitted was is a "very good sign".
Siboni said they are fielding up to a thousand calls a day, but are expecting that number to multiply if the city comes under attack.
The renewed push to conclude a ceasefire comes as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza has climbed past 40,000 since the war began, according to the Palestinian health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and militant deaths.
Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 Hamas militants, without providing evidence.
Israel went into Gaza after the Hamas surprise attacks inside Israel on Oct. 7, killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
AP Video by Alexis Triboulard
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