JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli soldiers delivered a Palestinian woman’s baby boy inside a military ambulance.
The woman, a resident of the Jordan Valley, called for help early Monday morning, according to the Israel Defense Forces. She lives in an area unreachable by ambulance, so the soldiers gave the family a stretcher to bring her to the waiting ambulance.
During the ride to the hospital the woman gave birth, assisted by army paramedic Sgt. Gilad Nesher. There was no equipment in the ambulance for delivering babies.
At birth the baby was not able to breathe on its own, and Nesher administered CPR for an hour before the boy began breathing.
"There is a great deal of satisfaction in giving life," Nesher told Ynet.
Mother and son are reported to be in good condition at Hadassah Medical Center-Ein Kerem.
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