Israeli President Honors Air Ambulance Team After Long-Range Rescue Mission

President Yitzhak Herzog and his wife, Michal Herzog, on Tuesday hosted a reception at the President’s Residence to honor the team behind a complex medical evacuation that brought an Israeli wounded in a terror attack in Australia back to Israel.

The event recognized Eli Rowe, chairman and founder of Hatzala Air, who personally piloted a specially equipped medical aircraft to evacuate Gefen Bitton, an Israeli citizen seriously wounded while confronting attackers during a terror incident in Sydney.

The mission, which took approximately 40 hours, involved a flight from New York to Sydney and then on to Israel. An eight-member medical and flight crew accompanied the patient, including an intensive care physician, nurses, paramedics and additional aviation staff.

Half-Million-Dollar Operation

Officials estimated the cost of the operation at approximately $500,000, reflecting the scale and complexity of the long-distance medical evacuation.

Rowe, a philanthropist and licensed pilot, founded Hatzala Air to provide rapid, long-range air ambulance services for medical emergencies worldwide.

Presidential Praise for Volunteer Network

President Herzog thanked the Hatzala Air team for what he described as their “dedicated and extraordinary work,” and said the President’s Office would consider turning to the organization in the future when approached with complex medical cases involving Israelis abroad.

During the meeting, Herzog received a briefing on the organization’s activities. Hatzala Air operates a fleet of medical aircraft and relies on some 400 volunteers worldwide, including senior physicians, paramedics, pilots and medical support staff.

Israeli Team in Attendance

The event was also attended by members of Hatzala Air’s Israeli team, including Dr. Aaron Adler, the organization’s director in Israel.

Officials at the President’s Residence said the mission underscored the growing role of private and volunteer-based medical aviation in responding to emergencies involving Israelis overseas.