Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surveyed the damage at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva on Thursday after its old surgical building suffered a direct hit from an Iranian missile.
“We are hitting nuclear targets and missile targets precisely, and they are hitting the pediatric ward of the hospital. That says it all,” Netanyahu said.
“There’s a pediatric and infant department here. That’s all the difference between a democracy that acts according to the law to save itself, and these murderers, who want to destroy each and every one of us,” he said.
The number of casualties would have been much higher if not for the decision 24 hours earlier by Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov to order the evacuation of the surgical center, which he deemed unsafe in light of the Iranian attacks.
“There is a lot of damage to the infrastructure,” said Bar Siman Tov while visiting the hospital, Israel Hayom reported.
“Much heavier damage was avoided here, especially in human life. There was good decision-making here on the part of all of us to make sure that we were prepared,” he said.
At least six people were seriously wounded by the latest Iranian missile barrage, which also hit Holon and Ramat Gan.
Some 30 ballistic missiles were launched at Israel.
Iran claimed it did not aim for Soroka but for a nearby military base, Ynet reported.
