The evangelist Franklin Graham has dedicated two armoured ambulances for Israel’s emergency services system.

The vehicles are part of a larger gift by the Christian relief organisation Samaritan’s Purse of which Rev Graham is CEO. The donations now total 42 rescue vehicles, 28 of which will be armoured. It’s also providing two emergency response stations near the Gaza and Lebanese borders in areas that are constantly at risk in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Standing in the community of Avshalom, on the Gaza border, Rev Graham dedicated the two ambulances to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s emergency services system in memory of three American-Israelis killed by Hamas—Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Roi Idan and his wife Smadar.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin was taken hostage from the Nova Festival on October 7 and murdered 11 months later in Gaza. Roi Idan and Smadar Mor-Idan were murdered in their home in front of their children. Avigail Idan, their four-year-old-daughter was later taken hostage to Gaza, while her older siblings survived the attack by hiding in a closet for 12 hours.

Rev Graham said: “The need is so great, we have just committed to providing 20 more armoured ambulances. The MDA team are heroes, saving lives every day, and it is an honour to stand with them.”

Franklin Graham also took part in a ceremony laying the cornerstone for a new MDA station in Avshalom. The station will increase the speed in which Israeli paramedics and response teams can reach emergencies along the Gaza border.

Samaritan's Purse is also supporting church partners, meeting the emergency needs of innocent civilians who are suffering as a result of the Israel Hamas war.