Two-Year-Old Toddler in Critical Condition After Drowning in Private Pool in Mateh Yehuda

A two-year-old toddler drowned in a private pool in Mateh Yehuda on August 3, 2026, and was airlifted in critical condition to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. The incident occurred in the late afternoon, with emergency services receiving the call at 17:12. Paramedics found the child unconscious, without pulse or breathing, and immediately began advanced resuscitation efforts, which continued during the helicopter transfer.

This tragic event follows a weekend marked by three other drownings at sea beaches, resulting in two men’s deaths and another man critically injured. Earlier on the same day, a man in his 60s was pulled unconscious from the water near Neve Yam beach in Atlit and later died at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Around two hours later, a 71-year-old man drowned near Blue Bay beach in Netanya and was pronounced dead after being taken to Laniado Hospital. Shortly after, another man in his 60s was rescued near Keshetot beach in Herzliya and remains in critical condition at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv.

Medical experts warn that drownings among toddlers can happen quickly and silently, even in shallow water, as young children may struggle to lift their heads or escape on their own. The primary danger is oxygen deprivation, which can cause severe damage to the brain, heart, and other organs. Immediate resuscitation and rapid medical intervention are crucial to improving survival chances and reducing neurological damage.

The Ministry of Health emphasizes that private pools and pools at guesthouses typically lack lifeguards, placing full responsibility on adults to supervise children closely. Toddlers and young children should always be within arm’s reach of a responsible adult, even when using flotation devices or after swimming lessons. Homes with private pools must secure the area with locked fences and gates, and inflatable pools or water containers should be emptied immediately after use. In cases where a child is pulled from water unconscious, emergency services should be called immediately, and CPR started following dispatcher instructions.