Givati Brigade Staff Sgt. Aviv Levi, 21, from Petach ‎Tikva, was killed Friday on the Israel-Gaza Strip ‎border, the military said Saturday.‎

Levi is the first IDF fatality on the Gaza front ‎since Operation Protective Edge in 2014.‎

Levi was killed by a Hamas sniper during a clash on ‎the border.

He was wearing a bulletproof vest when ‎he was hit and sustained a critical chest injury. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but his ‎condition deteriorated quickly and he succumbed to ‎his wounds.‎

Levi was the oldest of four siblings. His parents ‎‎and two younger brothers were on holiday in Italy ‎when they received the tragic news, and flew back to ‎Israel immediately.‎

‎"Aviv was a born leader. I don't know how we're ‎‎supposed to go on from here. We've lost our crowning ‎‎glory," his father, Yaakov, said.‎

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement ‎saying, "I send condolences from the bottom of my ‎heart, for myself and on behalf of the Israeli ‎public, to the parents and siblings of Aviv Levi, an ‎IDF Givati Brigade fighter who was killed on the ‎Gaza border. ‎

‎"Together with his comrades, Aviv fought with ‎determination and heroism against terrorism from the ‎Gaza Strip. To our sorrow, this struggle sometimes ‎exacts a price that is heavy for us to bear. Our ‎hearts are with the family."‎

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman echoed the ‎sentiment.‎

‎"Levi fell defending the nation, the land and the ‎residents of the Gaza-vicinity communities. My heart ‎is with his family. May his memory be blessed." ‎Lieberman tweeted.‎

Levi's killing triggered a wave of Israeli ‎airstrikes on Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip. ‎Four people – three of them confirmed by Hamas as ‎operatives – were killed in the strikes.‎

A cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was eventually ‎brokered by Egypt. ‎
Hadashot evening news reported Saturday that while ‎Israel's response was unusually harsh, the IDF was ‎on the brink of a more dramatic operation when Hamas ‎rushed to agree to a cease-fire. ‎

The report was not corroborated by any military ‎official.‎

Levi's ‎funeral was scheduled for noon Sunday. He ‎will be laid to rest at the military cemetery in ‎Petach Tikva. ‎

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Nadal Salah, 26, was indicted on charges that include contact with a foreign agent, illegally leaving the country. joining a terrorist organization, and providing intelligence to the enemy.

According to the indictment, in October 2015, Salah and a number of acquaintances from Jaljulia plotted to leave Israel for Syria and join the Islamic State group and help it battle the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Some members of the Jaljulia cell originally planned to fly to Turkey and cross the border into Syria, but Salah and his friend Hussam Hajala planned a more direct entry into Syria using paragliders.

The two purchased paragliders, learned to operate them using instructional videos, and practiced in open areas near Jaljulia.

When the cell leaders informed them that the plan had been canceled, Salah and Hajala decided to proceed on their own. On Oct. 17, 2015, they brought their paragliders to the planned jumping-off point in the Golan Heights. But a malfunction prevented Hajala from taking off, so he and Salah decided to return home.

A week later, Salah tried again to glide into Syria from the same point. While airborne, he managed to evade shots fired at him from the Syrian side of the border and landed safely in Syria, where he made his way to an Islamic State post.

At first, the Islamic State operatives were suspicious of his motives. They put him in prison and interrogated him using threats and physical torture. They forced him to divulge information about Israel. Several times, Salah tried to escape but was caught. He told his captors that he had come to join them, and eventually won their trust.

Salah was eventually made a full member of the Islamic State. He was instructed to watch bomb-making videos, contact Israeli acquaintances and try to recruit them to Islamic State and build improvised weapons.

Salah was even photographed holding one of these weapons and sent the pictures to family and friends in Israel. He also helped the Islamic State members translate various Hebrew documents into Arabic.

Eventually, after a battle against Assad's forces, Salah was taken captive by the Syrian forces. He escaped at the end of May 2018, and had himself smuggled across the border into Turkey. In June, he flew back to Israel, accompanied by relatives and an attorney, and was arrested upon landing at Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Attorney Roey Reiss of the State Attorney's Central District Office wrote the remand request, stating that "Given the severity, type, and character of his actions, which are based on [his] identification with a terrorist organization known for its unusual violence and brutality, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that he [Salah] will be a danger to the public."

The State Attorney's Office agreed to remand Salah until the end of legal proceedings against him.

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The Goldin family's rallying cry is "No deal without our boys."

Goldin's mother, Leah, said, "When we were children, the words 'Go to Gaza' were a curse. Today, we are sailing in the direction of Gaza to put pressure on the government and decision makers, and force them to act."

His father, Simcha, said, "Our children stayed behind the Rafah [border] crossing, and four years on, the leadership has not brought them home and continues to feed the monster known as Hamas.

"Our leadership isn't using all the tools at its disposal to bring our children home," he said.

A number of Knesset members were on board the boat.

Habayit Hayehudi ‎MK Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli said, "We are in close contact with the Goldin and Shaul families, as well as the families of the Israeli citizens who are being held captive, and are putting out a call for any humanitarian aid in bringing them all home."

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The plan being devised ‎by the United States will ‎focus on resolving the ‎humanitarian crisis in the ‎Gaza Strip prior to ‎dealing with the other cardinal ‎issues involved in the ‎Israeli-Palestinian peace ‎process.‎

Abbas declared that he would not engage with the ‎‎U.S. on peace talks after Trump ‎recognized Jerusalem ‎as Israel's capital last year ‎and subsequently ‎relocated the American Embassy in ‎Israel from Tel ‎Aviv to Jerusalem – moves the Palestinian leader ‎maintains illustrate Trump's pro-Israel bias and ‎‎disqualify the U.S. from acting as an impartial ‎peace ‎broker between Israel and the Palestinians.‎ ‎

The moderate Arab leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, ‎Egypt and the United Arab ‎Emirates have said that ‎given Abbas' position, they see no other choice but ‎to go over his head ‎and have decided to back ‎Washington's decision to ‎present the peace plan to ‎the Palestinian people ‎directly. ‎

According to Arab diplomats familiar with the ‎details of the plan, the American scheme includes a ‎long-term cease-fire agreement between Israel and ‎the Gaza-based terrorist groups. ‎

Once the cease-fire agreement proves lasting, a ‎series of economic programs will be implemented to ‎improve the situation in Gaza, where unemployment ‎nears 50%. These projects, as well as a series of ‎infrastructural rehabilitation plans – including the ‎construction of a special Palestinian port in Cyprus ‎‎– will be sponsored by the international community. ‎

The moderate Arab countries have urged Abbas to ‎engage with the Americans, saying that otherwise, he ‎risks rendering his government irrelevant, but to no ‎avail.‎

‎"Washington and Tel Aviv have decided to take out a ‎hit on Abu Mazen [Abbas] and delegitimize him in the ‎eyes of his own people. This is nothing short of a ‎coup" a senior Ramallah official told Israel Hayom.‎

Hamas declined to officially comment on the White ‎House's intention, but one official said that ‎‎"Trump and [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu can ‎made all the plans they want for Gaza. It's nothing ‎but empty words. Only the Palestinian people will ‎decide their future."‎

Over the past few months, the defense establishment ‎and several international agencies have been working ‎on several plans to alleviate the dire situation in ‎the coastal enclave. ‎

Among the plans currently considered are one devised ‎by Coordinator of Government Activities in the ‎Territories Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon, which ‎includes increasing Gaza's fishing zone and allowing ‎more materials into the enclave; one put together by ‎U.N. envoy to the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov; and ‎one suggested by the Americans, which includes ‎investments in infrastructure and employment ‎initiatives. ‎

Senior Israeli defense officials told Israel Hayom ‎that any humanitarian aid to Gaza is conditioned on ‎the return of the Israelis held in the Strip. ‎

Hamas is holding the remains of Staff Sgt. Oron ‎Shaul and Lt. Hadar Goldin, killed in the Gaza in ‎‎2014. Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin ‎Israeli Hisham al-Sayed, both suffering from mental ‎health issues, crossed into Gaza willingly in 2014 ‎and 2015 and were captured by the terrorist group.‎

‎"It's unthinkable that we keep hearing reports about ‎a humanitarian solution to the crisis in Gaza, but ‎not one word about Hadar and Oron," Goldin's father, ‎Simcha, said.‎

‎"No one is talking about how the majority of ‎government ministers vowed that 'no deal would take ‎place until we bring our boys home.' No one is ‎saying anything about the fact that we have to ‎ensure – from an international standpoint – that the ‎captives are returned before any deal is finalized," ‎he said. ‎

A statement by the U.S. National Security Council ‎spokesperson said, "The U.S. wants to help the ‎people of Gaza and prefers to work with the PA to ‎help fix the situation there. We continue to consult ‎with key partners and allies about the best way of ‎accomplishing that goal. Nevertheless, we cannot ‎allow the PA to stop our efforts to help the ‎Palestinians in Gaza, or to increase the ‎difficulties in Gaza, and we are monitoring their ‎actions very closely. "‎

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‎"I feel a personal kinship with you," the prime ‎minister said at the ceremony, held on Mount Herzl ‎in Jerusalem. "Four years have passed since the ‎difficult campaign in Israel's south, and we have ‎taken up arms to remove the threat of Hamas terror. ‎This murderous organization controls the Gaza ‎Strip, oppresses its people and directs its efforts ‎toward Israel's destruction.‎

‎"We continue to spare no effort to secure the return ‎of our soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin. Not ‎everything is known to the public and that's a good ‎thing. Our commitment will remain steadfast until ‎their return, and the same goes for our captive ‎civilians Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed," ‎Netanyahu said.‎

The prime minister also sent a clear message to ‎Hamas, saying its leaders "would be wise to defuse ‎tensions, not provoke ‎escalation. If they chose ‎escalation, they will find the price we exact from ‎them to be unbearable."‎

But fed up with the government's promises, 15 ‎bereaved families held a rally outside the Prime ‎Minister's Office in Jerusalem, in solidarity with ‎the Goldin and Shaul families. ‎

Col. (ret.) Varda Pomerantz, who lost her son Daniel ‎in Operation Protective Edge, said, "As far as we ‎are concerned, Operation Protective Edge will not be ‎over until Oron and Hadar return home."‎

Shaul's mother, Zehava, said, "I haven't had a ‎moment's peace for four years. I'm telling the prime ‎minister – we can't go on suffering. It's time to ‎take action. There have been too many missed ‎opportunities. Now Hamas is in distress and this may ‎be our last chance."‎

Dr. Leah Goldin noted that "solidarity among the ‎bereaved families is not something that can be taken ‎for granted. These are the fundamental values at the ‎core of our existence. The prime minister has to ‎ensure our boys are returned before he worries about ‎Gaza's rehabilitation. ‎

‎"The fact that bereaved families have to rally ‎outside the Prime Minister's Office to state the ‎obvious is very painful," she said.‎

Also on Tuesday, 22 fires were sparked in Gaza-‎vicinity ‎communities by incendiary kites. ‎Hundreds ‎of firefighters and volunteers battled the ‎flames ‎for hours before getting them under control.‎

Several kites hit the residents' homes but luckily ‎caused only minor fires with no casualties. ‎

Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh visited the area ‎and said that the airborne incendiary devices were ‎‎"outright terrorism. Luckily, there have been no ‎casualties so far, but it's clear that that could ‎change at any moment." ‎

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The Goldin family is at the European Parliament in Brussels this week to enlist international support for their efforts. Hadar's parents, Leah and Simcha and his twin brother Tzur have met with senior members of the European Commission including its vice president and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in recent days.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee held a special event with the assistance of the Israeli Embassy to the EU. Some 70 people, including parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, attended the event in what was a rare show of unity concerning Israel.

Speaking at the event, the Goldin family said any resolution to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip must be bilateral and include the return of Israelis held captive by Hamas.

Addressing the committee, Leah Goldin said, "I am here because I am asking justice be done with Hadar. The EU also agrees to the fact that Hadar was abducted and murdered in violation of a humanitarian cease-fire initiated by the U.N. We came here to ask for your help."

With the conclusion of the event, the committee issued a statement saying Hamas and the Palestinian Authority were in violation of international law by holding onto the bodies of Goldin and Shaul.

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Hamas is believed to be holding the bodies of Israeli soldiers Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul and Lt. Hadar Goldin, both killed in the 2014 conflict in the Gaza Strip. In addition, Ethiopian Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Hisham al-Sayed, both with mental health issues, crossed into Gaza voluntarily in 2014 and 2015 and are believed to have been captured by Hamas.

Haniyeh's decision to snub an Egyptian effort to broker a deal has reportedly caused a rift between him and Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar. News of the rift between the group's two strongmen, reported by Israel Hayom, has sparked controversy in the Gaza Strip, Egypt and Israel.

Egyptian media quoted a government official as saying, "Cairo is investing tremendous efforts to bring about a deal to return the bodies of the Israelis held by Hamas to burial in Israel, and it is committed to this effort."

In addition to a prisoner swap of unknown scope, the Egyptian offer includes the opening of the Gaza-Rafah border crossing with Egypt and an easing of the decadelong blockade on the coastal enclave.

A top Hamas official confirmed to Israel Hayom that senior members of the group's leadership, including Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades' commanders close to Sinwar, have demanded a debate on the Egyptian offer.

A statement by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said, "Coordinator for POWs and MIAs Yaron Blum and his team leave no stone unturned to secure the return of IDF soldiers and civilians held in Hamas captivity. Naturally, so as not to compromise any ongoing negotiations, we will not comment on Israel's extensive and complex efforts on this issue."

A statement by the Goldin family said that they were unaware of any progress in the negotiations.

"The Israeli government must stop being passive and naive with regard to the fate of captive IDF soldiers and civilians. The government must be proactive and pressure Hamas leadership and make it clear that holding IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians is a liability rather than an asset," the family said.

"[Benjamin] Netanyahu, as both prime minister and foreign minister, must act in the international arena to ensure that Hamas pays a price for blatantly violating international humanitarian law. After almost four years, this is the only way we know of to reverse the equation."

Oron's mother, Zehava, said, "Unfortunately, the world is always sympathetic when it comes to Gaza and Hamas. It is a shame that countries around the world do not have the integrity to show the same sympathy toward the Israeli prisoners, soldiers and civilians held captive by Hamas.

"At the end of the day, all I want is for the prisoners held in Gaza to come home. The government has so far failed to use any of the opportunities it had to bring the soldiers and civilians home, and that, too, is a shame."

The Mengistu family said that they, too, have not received any update on the negotiations.

"We do not comment on reports about Hamas in the media. We know that Hamas makes cynical use of them to wage a psychological war against the families. We expect the government and the international community to resolve this humanitarian tragedy without delay."

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The Jewish state came to a standstill at 10 a.m. Thursday as sirens wailed nationwide. The sirens were followed by ceremonies marking Holocaust Remembrance Day in schools, public institutions and military bases.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief Justice Esther Hayut attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, while President Reuven Rivlin led the traditional March of the Living in Poland, alongside former Chief Rabbi Meir Lau and a special delegation of senior Israel Police and IDF officials, including Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, Mossad Director Yossi Cohen and Shin Bet Security Director Nadav Argaman.

Polish President Andrzej Duda also participated in march.

Over 12,000 youths from 41 countries were set to take part in the march. After the march, participants will arrive in Israel to take part in Independence Day celebrations next Thursday.

Following the march, the delegation was scheduled to visit memorials to Holocaust victims at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.

Speaking at the state ceremony marking the onset of Holocaust Remembrance Day on Wednesday evening at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Netanyahu said, "We have seen the swastika waved by the rioters near Gaza. We have seen the Syrian children who were slaughtered with chemical weapons. Our hearts are broken by the horrific sights."

In his speech, Netanyahu had a message for Iran's leaders: "Do not put our resolve to the wwww.  I also have a message for the Iranian people: Israel is not your enemy, but the despotic regime oppressing you. When it is gone, both our ancient peoples will be able to live in cooperation and brotherhood.

"In the Holocaust, we were helpless, defenseless and voiceless, to be honest, our voices weren't heard at all. Today, we have a strong country, a strong military and our voice is heard among the nations."

Netanyahu mentioned the Nazi flag that was flown on the Gaza border during last week's border riots, saying, "We saw the Syrian children who were butchered with chemical weapons, our hearts broken at the sight of the horror. One great lesson accompanies us ever since the Holocaust: When people do not stand up to murderous evil, it spreads quickly. It gradually threatens humanity in its entirety.

"That was my central message at the global security conference in Munich two months ago. I came to Munich as the Israeli prime minister with the knowledge that the difficult events that took place in the city. In Munich, the Nazi oppressors began spreading the terrible race theory. In Munich, the leaders of the free world signed a conciliatory agreement with the aggressor 80 years ago.

"The lack of willingness among the powers of the West to stand firm in the face of the tyrannical regime, their lack of willingness to pay the price of stopping aggression at an early stage, led to humanity paying a much greater price later on," the prime minister said.

"Now that we have an independent state, it will never behave in this mistaken manner. We are curbing the hostile aggression, and these are not empty words. We back them up with action. Decisiveness in the face of aggression, decisiveness in defense, deterrence, attacks, decisiveness against anyone who threatens our destruction.

"Because today, too, a radical regime threatens us, threatens world peace … this regime explicitly declares its intentions to destroy us, the Jewish state. There are those who delude themselves, as in Munich in 1938, that the agreement with the Iranian regime will stop the aggression. But throughout history, we have seen over and over how agreements with these types of regimes weren't worth the paper they were written on. The same happened with the nuclear deal," Netanyahu concluded.

President Reuven Rivlin spoke ahead of Netanyahu at the ceremony, saying, "In Poland, on European soil, on the ashes of our brothers, I will say something tomorrow in a simple way: There is a Holocaust and there are Holocaust deniers, and the difference between them is the truth. Everything Amalek did to us is etched in our memories – the memory of an ancient people. Those who aided Amalek and those who stood aside are also etched in our memory. Those who heard the cries and did not lift a finger."

The president said, "We will never allow those who seek to deny the truth [of the Holocaust] or those who seek to make us forget it [to do so] – even when it comes to heads of state. No political, diplomatic or economic interest will make us turn a blind eye to it. From Europe, we do not expect justice that will correct the past, but we do expect to find true partnership n European countries. We do not expect Europe's countries to pass on to the younger generation a sense of guilt, but the torch of memory and the responsibility in order to bravely grapple with the anti-Semitism and racism.

"This year, we mark 70 years to the [founding of] the State of Israel. The country is not compensation for the Holocaust – the Holocaust is what threatened our ancient dream of a return to Zion and Jerusalem. The Jewish people established the State of Israel while it was hemorrhaging, beaten and bruised. Almost 50% of the fighters in the War of Independence were Holocaust survivors. The State of Israel forever changed the balance of terror" that threatened the existence of the Jewish people, he said.

"Those who seek our downfall everywhere know those days have passed. The anti-Semitism will not disappear, the hatred of Israel has not changed, but the reality has changed: Today, we are strong."

Holocaust Remembrance Day will also be commemorated with events organized by organizations that work with Holocaust survivors and in the education system. As part of the "Name and Candle" initiative, some 800,000 elementary school students will light memorial candles either at school or at home with their parents in honor of those who perished in the Holocaust.

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The petition was filed by Simcha and Leah Goldin, whose son, Lt. Hadar Goldin of the Givati Brigade, was killed in Gaza during the 2014 conflict. His remains and those of another soldier killed in that conflict, Sgt. Oron Shaul, are being held by Hamas.

Last month, 18-year-old fisherman Ismail Abu Riyaleh was killed when the Israeli Navy opened fire on a Palestinian boat that breached the limits of the authorized fishing zone and ignored calls to stop. This week, his family petitioned Israel to return his body for burial.

In its petition, the Goldin family said the state must first receive assurances that Abu Riyaleh's funeral "will not turn into a festival of Hamas propaganda."

"This is more than a legal order, it is a moral imperative for the Israeli government to stop rewarding Hamas, which holds soldiers and civilians in violation of international law," the family said.

"We, as a state, must change the equation immediately. Holding captives cannot be an asset, but a liability for which a price must be exacted from the enemy."

Justice Neal Hendel has set another hearing on the matter for Tuesday.

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"We live in a constant state of alert and I felt that rather than wait for the next disaster to strike, I have to do something that would raise awareness to the importance of first aid," she said.

Atawneh heads the Bedouin sector's health program as part of her duties in the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation and Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development – a Beersheba-based nonprofit organization dedicated to social change and Arab-Jewish partnership, which is better known simply as AJEEC-NISPED.

"As a traditional and closed society, it was clear to me that the emphasis should be placed on our women, who live in the community and know the families, the homes and the access roads, which saves precious time," she explained.

Now the result of her efforts is taking shape in the form of a social breakthrough: a paramedics' course catering exclusively to Bedouin women.

The Bedouin sector, it seems, is plagued by a multitude of home accidents: Children are run over outside their homes and there are severe cases of fire- and fall-related deaths.

The nature of the Bedouin environment contributes to this epidemic and the issue goes beyond poor infrastructure. Much of the problem lies with the lack of awareness of health issues in the sector, which stem both from poor nutrition and the delayed diagnosis of diseases.

AJEEC-NISPED, founded in 2000, seeks to put an end to this. As part of the NGOs activities, which set out to bolster Jewish-Bedouin cooperation, it has struck a partnership with Magen David Adom emergency services. This partnership has produced several paramedics' training courses and so far, 50 Bedouin paramedics have graduated.

"The paramedics' presence on the ground has already made a difference in how emergency situations are handled," she said, "but there are no women in uniform."

Atawneh approached MDA's southern district office and her idea got the go-ahead.

"They said yes immediately. We started getting the word out and we were surprised by the response. We only had room for 25 women in the course," she said.

Training is still underway, but the all-female paramedics' course has already been hailed as a resounding success.

"We have a waiting list of dozens of women who want to join the next class. That's an achievement. For us, it also shatters the glass ceiling."

Atawneh, who despite wearing a headscarf defines herself as a secular Muslim, said participants in the course are between the ages of 19 and 40.

"Most of them come from unrecognized and remote villages scattered throughout the Negev, places the average Israeli has never heard of. There's no doubt that the growing number of paramedics is critical, as these villages are devoid of medical and emergency services. I think it's outrageous because it is imperative that citizens receive such services from the state. Lifesaving services are an essential goal, according to both the Torah and the Quran," she said.

The course includes women from all walks of life, from homemakers and university students to preschool and school teachers.

"They all attend the course for the same reason. They all want to ease the lack of medical knowledge. They want to see the sector as a whole and particularly their children receive adequate medical care.

"Some of them have experienced incidents that ended in death and unfortunately, we are witnessing more and more such cases that could have been prevented given the medical know-how. Lives could have been saved. This training is supposed to provide participants with the necessary tools to provide immediate and professional medical aid."

The all-female paramedics' training "is our flagship course," Atawneh continued. "These women come from a closed and traditional community and they are willing to take responsibility for their lives and the lives of others in their communities. They [the participants] are already a source of inspiration for many other women who face greater challenges. This is also an excellent opportunity to expose Israeli society to the change within the sector; the change women are choosing to undertake."

Women on a mission

Atawneh said she is aware of the fact that paramedics' training afforded to men is different from the one given to women.

"It's different. Different preparations and adjustments are made, down to the days and hours. Most women are working mothers and they are free only in the afternoon. And unlike the men, they cannot go to a class that ends late at night."

Q: Is there a distinct advantage to having female paramedics?

"Women have a different emotional range than men. A mother has her strength, and I'm talking about something beyond empowerment. Compassion, understanding and a soothing touch are in our DNA. Women are those who pay attention to the small details. They give more of themselves than the men, who themselves admit that."

Q: What was the reaction among Bedouin men?

"What reaches me is mainly the encouraging voices, which say that this is a step that strengthens the community. There is also a small part that opposes this change and I suppose they are bothered by the possibility that the women will leave the villages, earn their own money and become independent. Still, I believe that if they themselves need help, they will also turn to them [female paramedics] and they will have a different reaction to this novelty."

Q: Are female paramedics expected to pass the knowledge on to their communities over time?

"We are now sowing the seeds and I believe that we will find the appropriate framework for that to happen. With the response on the ground being what it is, things are already visibly different and in time, we'll see the results. I believe that little by little, female paramedics will become a fixture in the Bedouin landscape," Atawneh said.

One of the women currently training to become a paramedic is Jamila, a mother of three from the unrecognized Bedouin village of Abu Queider, southeast of Beersheba, which is home to 7,000 people.

"My 45-year-old mother has a heart condition and the concern for her life is constant. I live right next door, but because we're an unrecognized village, the paramedics can take over 20 minutes just to get to the village's main road. From there, it's about seven minutes to the house, if they can even find it, and that is critical time if someone's life is in danger," the 28-year-old kindergarten teacher said.

Her mother's heart condition was not the only reason Jamila sought to become a paramedic – the kindergarten children also played a part in her decision.

"We have had cases when children needed medical help, lifesaving help, and sometimes the results were tragic because we don't have local medical teams who can administer first aid immediately. Every village needs appropriate medical services nearby," she said.

Jamila recalled an incident that took place in April last year when two Bedouin children were killed by an explosion caused by old munitions they had found.

"I heard a huge boom at about 5 p.m. It was a tremendous explosion – the whole house shook. I opened my WhatsApp [messaging application] and I saw all kinds of messages about casualties and how there was nothing we could do. I went outside and saw one of the children. He had a pulse but he suffered a serious head injury. It was crazy. They were just lying there and the ambulance hadn't arrived.

"I remember the helplessness and I told myself that this situation – that a child was dying in front of me and I couldn't do anything to save his life – should never happen again. Today, after I joined the paramedics' course, I have no doubt that it could have ended differently and this thought bothers me every day. With the training, I've received so far that incident could have ended differently."

Jamila is determined to eradicate, or at the very least minimize, the harm suffered by her surroundings.

"It's important for everyone to have the basic knowledge to save lives and it's important that every mother gets this training. That way, when she is watching her child or her neighbor's child she can make a difference. That alone can change the statistics."

Conservatism at the expense of health

Dr. Jaber Abu Abed heads the emergency medical services in Rahat, the only Bedouin community in Israel to have city status. But Rahat is not immune to statistics and seven children have died there as a result of accidents in the home since 2016.

Abu Abed welcomed AJEEC-NISPED's initiative, saying, "We come from a conservative sector, where there are many home accidents. For example, does the Israeli public know how many [Bedouin] children suffer from burns from boiling oil during cooking? This conservatism comes at the expense of health because there are many women in the sector who refuse to receive medical treatment from a man."

Recalling what he said was one of the most tragic cases he has seen in his career, he spoke of an incident that took place on Jan. 2, 2016, in which three siblings died in a home fire, sparked by burning coals left near their beds to provide heat.

"The mother had gone shopping and locked the door behind her. They died of asphyxiation. They were brought to our small medical center and at that moment I was a helpless doctor in front of three small children. You know that they are no longer alive and in the meantime, dozens, if not hundreds of people are blocking the way for MDA and other medical teams.

"The sad thing is that we see these accidents in homes that have already been struck by tragedy. Children continue to get hurt and families continue to pay the ultimate price," he said. "The reality today is that there is a significant gap between the chances of an Arab child from the south getting hurt and the chances of an Arab child from anywhere else in the country getting hurt. An Arab child from the south has four times the chance of getting hurt," he said.

Q: Do you think the new initiative of the female Bedouin paramedics in the south can change this grim situation?

"It can certainly help," he said. "It opens a window for mothers to take this knowledge with them to their homes, schools and kindergartens, so that if something happens, the mothers will be the first to respond in or outside the home and prevent a catastrophe."

Yusuf Abu Jafar, who lost his daughters Eden (4) and Huda (3) and his infant son Tawfiq on that fateful night, also welcomed the initiative.

"We were told they were critically wounded and we prayed until the very last minute. I don't wish this nightmare on any parent. I held my children in my arms, tried to save them, stroked their ash-stained faces and wept. Nothing helped. But maybe now, with the [female] paramedics, there is a chance that similar situations will end with saving other children, preventing another family from suffering such a disaster."

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