Via RT:
“It happened in a split second; people just fell, trampling each other. It was a disaster,” one witness told Haaretz.
A spokesman for the Israeli military said there were at least 25 deaths, according to Jewish Press, while Reuters reported 28 confirmed fatalities, citing a rescue service spokesman. Several other reports claimed up to 38 fatalities.
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Police sources cited by Haaretz said the stampede was triggered after attendees slipped on a staircase, causing dozens of others to fall.
ישראל כהן on X (formerly Twitter): “נורא לראות את הצפיפות שהיתה במעבר הצר, ואת הדוחק העצום שהוביל בסוף לאסון הקשה והמחריד. pic.twitter.com/1RE7FggFXt / X”
נורא לראות את הצפיפות שהיתה במעבר הצר, ואת הדוחק העצום שהוביל בסוף לאסון הקשה והמחריד. pic.twitter.com/1RE7FggFXt
Tens of thousands of Hassidic Jews had gathered at Mount Meron for the annual festivities at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the largest event in Israel since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. On Thursday night, organizers estimated some 100,000 people were in attendance, expecting another 100,000 to arrive by Friday morning.
Footage from the festival has circulated online, showing a massive crowd of revelers dancing to live music prior the stampede.
משה ויסברג on X (formerly Twitter): “לכבוד התנא: עשרות אלפים בהדלקה המרכזית של תולדות אהרן שמרעידה את הההר מצד לצד pic.twitter.com/b2pMQsXv1z / X”
לכבוד התנא: עשרות אלפים בהדלקה המרכזית של תולדות אהרן שמרעידה את הההר מצד לצד pic.twitter.com/b2pMQsXv1z
Israeli health officials had urged residents not to travel to Mount Meron, citing fears the gathering could contribute to the spread of Covid-19. Some 5,000 police officers were deployed to monitor the event.
While the IDF and a number of early reports suggested the stampede was caused after a roof or stage collapsed, Israel’s emergency service later clarified that the deaths and injuries were the result of overcrowding alone. Medics said at least 38 people were still at the scene in critical condition, vowing to fight for their lives.
PM Breaking News on X (formerly Twitter): “Breaking: At least 28 dead, 100+ injured, after a platform collapsed at a festival in Meron, Israel. pic.twitter.com/fTmH4pPhTd / X”
Breaking: At least 28 dead, 100+ injured, after a platform collapsed at a festival in Meron, Israel. pic.twitter.com/fTmH4pPhTd
“Terrible disaster”
“This is one of the worst tragedies that I have ever experienced,” said Lazar Hyman of the United Hatzalah volunteer rescue service, who was at the scene.
“I have not seen anything like this since I entered into the field of emergency medicine,” he added.
Yehuda Gottleib, one of the first responders from United Hatzalah, said he saw “dozens of people fall on top of one another during the collapse”.
“A large number of them were crushed and lost consciousness.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid lamented the “terrible disaster”, and described it as a “sad” night for the country.
Israel has fully vaccinated more than half of its 9.3 million population against the coronavirus, but restrictions on massive public gatherings remain in place to stem the spread of the virus.
Authorities had authorised 10,000 people to gather at the site of the tomb but organisers said more than 650 buses had been chartered from across the country, bringing 30,000 pilgrims to Meron.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews, known in Israel as haredim, have throughout the pandemic shown resistance towards health and safety measures mandated by the government.
Around 5,000 police had been deployed to secure the event.
After the stampede, police closed access to the area to prevent a crowd from building further, while rescue workers and security forces worked to clear the area and identify the victims.
