Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that Israel will set up a field hospital in Ukraine in the coming days to help victims of Russia’s attack on its southern neighbor.
In addition, Israel will send six large generators to the main hospital in Lvov to “ensure its continuous operation even without a regular power supply,” the ministry said in a statement. It is also planned to create centers for helping refugees at the border crossings of Ukraine, where winter clothes and supplies will be distributed.
Foreign Ministry officials say at least 10,200 Israeli citizens have left Ukraine since the government first urged them to do so three weeks ago. More than half have left since the Russian invasion began last month.
Also on Sunday, three planes carrying about 300 Ukrainian Jews, including ninety orphans, arrived in Israel. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was at the Tel Aviv airport to meet the new arrivals.
Under Israeli law of return, any Jew can apply for Israeli citizenship. Because Ukraine is home to a large Jewish population, Israeli officials say they are preparing for a potential wave of tens of thousands of Ukrainian emigrants.
Several people who spoke to CNN after arriving from Ukraine on Sunday said they planned to move to Israel at some point, but said the war hastened the process.
Lena, originally from Odessa, arrived with her two young boys after traveling since the start of hostilities.
“I planned to come here, but when the war started, everything was immediately decided,” she said.
Lena told CNN she was forced to leave her husband because men under the age of sixty are barred from leaving the country under a law enacted after the Russian invasion.
“We are in shock, but I hope everything will be fine now,” she said.
Toavia, from Kyiv, told CNN that she believes many Jews will now move to Israel.
“I know people who were not going to come, but [the invasion] changed their plans. This happens to many Jews,” she said.
Toavia added that she was excited about the trip to Israel, but said she would not feel complete until she hugged her family, who left the country by a different route.
“I think I’m still shocked because I saw the war,” she said.
Meanwhile, Israeli leaders continue their diplomatic efforts. The day after his surprise visit to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin in person, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had a telephone conversation with the Russian leader on Sunday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Bennett also spoke to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron. Although no details of the phone calls were released, Bennett told cabinet colleagues earlier in the day that he believed Israel had a special responsibility to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough.
“Even if the chance is not great, once there is at least a small opening, and we have access to all sides and opportunities, [then] I see it as our moral duty to make every effort,” he said.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will fly to Latvia to meet with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.