United Hatzalah volunteer and her mother still unaccounted for after Beit Shemesh strike

United Hatzalah says one of its volunteers and her mother remain unaccounted for hours after an Iranian ballistic missile struck Beit Shemesh earlier today, leaving nine dead and over 40 injured in the city.

According to the emergency medical service, paramedics called to the scene found Ronit Elimelech’s medical kit and vest amid the rubble, raising fears about her and her mother’s wellbeing.

⚠️ The following video was filmed 2 years ago, when Ronit joined United Hatzalah as a volunteer.

I am asking everyone to please pray for our dear volunteer, Ronit Elimelech, and her mother, who are currently missing following a missile strike in Beit Shemesh.

Ronit was visiting… pic.twitter.com/jwuQCO2hNy

— Eli Beer (@EliBeerUH) March 1, 2026

The pair are among 11 people still unaccounted for following the devastating impact, as first responders continue their search efforts at the site.

Elimelech and her three children had been at her parents’ home in Beit Shemesh and entered a public shelter once they heard sirens go off, signaling the oncoming attack, the group says in a statement.

First responders rescued two of Elimelech’s children from the rubble and took them to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center after they sustained light to moderate injuries in the strike.

Elimelech’s father was found safe, and is staying with relatives, the statement continues.

“Ronit joined United Hatzalah after her young son asked her to volunteer as his birthday gift. I met them personally, and they hold a very special place in our hearts,” Eli Beer, United Hatzalah’s president, writes in a post on X. “We will continue to hope and pray for her safety and for good news.”