Philanthropist gives £82m to rebuild Soroka hospital hit by Iranian missile

A major reconstruction of Soroka University Medical Centre will get underway after Canadian-Israeli philanthropist Sylvan Adams announced a $100 million (£82m) donation to repair and modernise the Beersheba hospital damaged in an Iranian missile strike on 19 June.

The commitment – revealed at Sunday’s Israeli cabinet meeting – forms part of a more than one-billion-shekel (£210m) national plan to reinforce healthcare infrastructure in the south, including a 360m shekel (£65m) state-funded, fortified in-patient tower at Soroka. Funding will be split equally between the Israeli government, Clalit Health Services and Adams.

Adams, who serves as President of the World Jewish Congress – Israel Region, told ministers the investment is intended as a bold response to Iran’s attack.

“Our answer to Iran is to build back bigger and better,” he said. “On the very place where missiles fell, we will build in Beersheba a beacon of healing, progress and peace… We choose to answer destruction with construction, and hatred with compassion.”

He added that the project advances David Ben-Gurion’s vision of a “flourishing Negev… in hospital wards and emergency rooms”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Adams as “a great friend and benefactor of the State of Israel… giving generously and wholeheartedly – sometimes even through demanding aerobic effort on a bicycle”.

“You raise Israel’s standing in so many fields and make a truly significant contribution,” he said, thanking him “especially (on behalf of) the residents of the Negev”.

Soroka – the only major trauma centre for more than one million people in southern Israel – suffered significant structural damage in June’s strike, which saw Iran fire hundreds of missiles and drones at Israeli territory. Medical teams kept the hospital operational throughout the assault.

Half of Adams’s donation – $50m (£41m) will fund rebuilding and fortification, while the rest will drive a technological upgrade including expanded emergency and trauma capacity, improvements to maternal and critical care units, and AI-assisted diagnostics, precision medicine and next-generation imaging.

Officials say the collaboration between government, Clalit (the non-profit which is the largest provider of public and semi-private health services in Israel) and global donors will serve as a national model for strengthening essential services in high-risk regions.