Israel Nitzan, Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of Israel New York, today announced Israel is providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine: 

1. At the situation assessment held (3/6), Foreign Minister Yair Lapid directed the MFA and MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation – to continue four main forms of humanitarian aid:

• Field hospital to be established in Ukraine in the next few days in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Sheba Medical Center & the Clalit Health Fund.
• Ongoing transfer of humanitarian aid according to the needs of the Ukrainian authorities & the surrounding countries.
• Transfer of 6 giant generators to the Lvov Hospital that will enable for continuous operation during power outages.
• Refugee assistance centers (for Jews & non-Jews alike) at border crossings where MFA personnel are stationed, with an emphasis on providing  winter equipment.

2. On Friday, a ceremony was held marking the transfer of Israeli humanitarian aid to Ukraine. 

The ceremony took place in a facility belonging to the Polish Emergency Authority. Present were the Head of Mashav, Ambassador Eynat Shlein, Israel’s Ambassador to Poland, Yacov Livne, the head of the Ukrainian team that transferred the cargo to its destination, and the director of the Polish Emergency Authority. 

The humanitarian aid included 100 tons of medical equipment and medicine (donated by Israel’s Ministry of Health), Israeli systems for water purification and an emergency kit for water supply (in coordination with the Water Authority), as well as thousands of tents, blankets, sleeping bags and coats.

Mashav, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, planned, coordinated, and led the State of Israel’s humanitarian aid operation for Ukraine, under the instructions of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

Eynat Shlein, Head of Mashav, said at the ceremony: “Today, I’m proud to be an Israeli citizen, and to be leading Israel’s assistance to the Ukrainian people at this difficult time. The State of Israel is on the frontline of providing humanitarian aid and is committed to act quickly when needed. From the moment we received the Foreign Minister’s instructions, we contacted the Ukrainian authorities in order to plan the aid package according to the local needs.”

3. The Foreign Ministry established “Matat” (Donation & Coordination Centre) yesterday with the goal of centralising and coordinating humanitarian aid initiatives and donations by Israeli civil society to the Ukrainian people. 

The initiative will be headed by Ambassador Daniel Meron, who will serve as a special project manager for connecting Israeli civil society with the State of Israel’s aid efforts and international organizations operating in Ukraine and along its borders.

There are already dozens of companies, organizations, and private individuals currently working to transfer various kinds of humanitarian aid from Israel to Ukraine. Following many inquiries from various actors in Israel, it was decided in the Foreign Ministry to establish the “Matat” centre, which will coordinate between different aid efforts. 
 
To reach out to the “Matat” centre, please contact matat@mfa.gov.il and include the type of donation or volunteering, relevant details, schedules and quantities, and contact info. 

“Matat” will operate parallel to the humanitarian aid provided by the State of Israel through MASHAV.