Operation Israel, an organization formed on Oct. 8 in response to the crisis in Israel after the Hamas attacks, arranged for the shipment of over $6.5 million worth of gear to the front lines.
The organization was launched by Adi Vaxman, who upon hearing about the events of Oct. 7 set up a form for requests for equipment and began fundraising and planning the logistics of shipping the supplies to Israel.
She partnered with others sharing similar objectives and began to put together the infrastructure needed for a major aid operation.
Initially, the supplies were procured from Israeli suppliers, with funds provided either directly by donors or transferred to the suppliers, while designated personnel from the units facilitated the acquisition of goods.
However, after several days, supplies ran out in Israel, underscoring the need for supplies from the U.S.
In the two months since, Operation Israel has shipped millions of dollars worth of critical supplies to the front lines.
"Since the outbreak of the war, the profound challenges unfolding have placed our soldiers, doctors, and civil defense units in urgent need of combat supplies, medical resources, and personal equipment to sustain their commitment to safeguarding Israeli citizens," Vaxman said. "In a display of solidarity, our collective of global volunteers has undertaken an important initiative, prioritizing safety and efficiency at its forefront."
Detailing the operations process, the organization said there is a dedicated team of more than 50 volunteers who verify the authenticity of each request through video calls and detailed questioning.
Once a request is verified, it is linked to the distribution center, where priority is assigned according to urgency and stock availability.
Donors then sponsor the equipment either by purchasing it directly or donating to the organization.
"Facilitating the transportation of supplies from the U.S. to Israel entails precise inventory management at warehouse facilities and volunteer residences," Operation Israel noted in a statement.
The process includes quality checks, packaging, labeling, and deliveries to local airports.
"Given the restricted capacity of cargo flights, local volunteers in Los Angeles and New Jersey coordinate the shipping of goods on commercial passenger flights through a partnership with El Al," the statement continued, adding that, once in Israel, a volunteer then collects and clears the equipment for customs (customs agent does this for cargo, volunteers for passenger flights).
The equipment is then brought to several distribution centers, located in private residences and donated storage spaces, where volunteers sort and prepare and repackage it according to each unit's needs.
For units unable to collect, volunteer drivers step in, often delivering directly to the front lines.
"The Operation Israel team shares a heartfelt commitment to Israel’s future, our soldiers, and our people," the organization noted on its website. "We remain fully engaged in accomplishing more, driven by the unity of Israel, our love of Israel and the nation’s indomitable spirit of resilience."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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