Deep beneath the northern Israeli city of Haifa lies an underground hospital equipped with operating rooms, a maternity ward, and various medical facilities, though it currently has no patients.
The Rambam Health Care Campus constructed this bunker following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. Typically, it serves as a multi-story parking garage, but it can be transformed into a fully functional hospital in less than three days.
This facility was placed on high alert immediately after the Hamas attacks on October 7th and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
The facility boasts more than 2,000 beds. In the event of a significant attack on Israel, it would accommodate existing patients from the above-ground medical center and nearby hospitals. Additionally, it has the capacity to treat the wounded. As the threat of a comprehensive regional war looms large following the recent killing of Hamas political leader Ismael Haniyeh and senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, doctors assert they are prepared for a major assault on Haifa.
Residents of this city are accustomed to the frequent emergency drills conducted periodically. School children regularly participate in drills to practice what to do in the event of an attack. Haifa is known as a “mixed city,” a place where a substantial number of Arabs live alongside Jews, fostering a unique and diverse community.
