Jet, Chopper, and a Heart: Israel’s Epic Organ Rescue Saves Two Lives
Israel conducted a rare medical operation, transplanting a heart and lungs from Cyprus into two women, using a private jet and police helicopter for transport. The procedure, a first in three decades, underscores advanced medical coordination and international cooperation.
In a groundbreaking medical operation on August 3, 2025, Israeli medical teams from Beilinson Hospital and the National Transplant Center successfully transplanted a heart and lungs donated in Cyprus into two women, marking Israel’s first import of living organs from abroad in 30 years. The complex logistics involved a private jet, a police helicopter, and coordinated efforts across the Mediterranean. A 34-year-old woman with severe heart failure received the heart, while a 68-year-old with advanced lung disease received the lungs. Both are recovering in intensive care under close medical supervision.
The operation began when Cypriot transplant coordinator Chrystalla Despoti notified Israel of the available organs from a brain-dead donor. A team led by Dr. Yuri Peisachovitz flew to Nicosia to retrieve the organs, overcoming logistical hurdles, including a delayed driver in Larnaca and the need for a Cypriot police helicopter to rush them to the airport. “I’ve been involved in hundreds of transplants, but this was the first time I retrieved a heart in a foreign country and brought it to Israel,” Peisachovitz said. “A heart survives outside the body for about four hours. We finished retrieval at 10:30 and were in the operating room in Israel by 12:00.”
The heart transplant was performed by Dr. Udi Yakobzon and Prof. Dan Aravot, while the lung transplant was conducted by Dr. Israel Kuznitz, Prof. Erez Shroni, and Dr. Merav Rokach. Dr. Tamar Ashkenazi, director of the National Transplant Center, managed international coordination, stating, “This was a sensitive and complex operation. From the moment we received the organ donation offer, it required coordination with health authorities, customs, security, and budgets, all during the weekend.” The team included Dr. Ben Ben Avraham, nurse Gadi Kabaha, and heart-lung machine operator Snian Al Haj.
This milestone, supported by a 2017 Cyprus-Israel organ exchange agreement, highlights potential for future collaborations. With 97 Israelis awaiting heart transplants, per the National Transplant Center, such operations are rare but critical. Social media on X hailed the effort, with one user noting, “This medical miracle shows what’s possible when nations work together.” Beilinson Hospital emphasized ongoing preparedness, with a team member stating, “When there’s a donation, time is critical. Every link in the chain, in Israel and abroad, must act with precision and full coordination.”