Child Drownings Surge Sharply in Israel as Summer Break Begins

As summer vacation begins and pools and beaches fill with children and teenagers, concerns rise over drowning incidents in Israel. According to data from the organization Betrem for Child Safety, 12 children and adolescents have died from drowning since the start of 2026. By the end of June, the death toll was 11, compared to only two during the same period last year, marking a five-and-a-half-fold increase.

Recent severe drowning cases include a six-year-old boy pulled from a public pool in Holon, currently in critical condition at Wolfson Hospital's pediatric intensive care unit, and a three-year-old who drowned in a private pool in the Shdot Negev Regional Council area, now in stable condition at Soroka Medical Center. Additionally, 15-year-old Indeshao Darba from Rishon Lezion drowned at an unmonitored beach near Palmachim last Wednesday.

Betrem's five-year data (2021-2025) shows 82 children and teens drowned, with half under the age of four. Professor Neta Cohen, head of the pediatric trauma service at Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital in Ichilov, explains that drowning is a leading cause of death and severe injury in children, often occurring quickly and silently, even in shallow water. The primary danger is oxygen deprivation to the brain and vital organs, which can cause irreversible brain, heart, and respiratory damage, leading to death or long-term disability.

Reut Rehabilitation Hospital in Tel Aviv treats children with complex injuries from drowning. Nurse Liana Achituv notes that some children require prolonged intensive care, with one patient hospitalized for 22 years after drowning in a water bucket, bathtub, or pool. She emphasizes the lasting brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation, resulting in children remaining in reduced consciousness states and needing 24-hour medical and nursing care.

Betrem stresses that flotation devices do not replace supervision and warns against using swim rings and seat floats for young children due to safety risks. Orly Silbinger, Betrem’s CEO, urges parents to maintain constant vigilance and adhere to safety rules, emphasizing that "continuous supervision can save lives."