Home » World » Death toll from the Israeli Jewish pilgrimage tragedy rises to 45

Death toll from the Israeli Jewish pilgrimage tragedy rises to 45

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TEL AVIV – The number of victims who died in the great community pilgrimage tragedy Jewish of Israel increased to 45 people. All the victims who died were buried yesterday.

Initially hundreds of thousands of pilgrims packed Mount Meron at the burial site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on the Lag BaOmer holiday from Thursday night to Friday morning. Pilgrims jostle while carrying bonfires.

Also read: Netanyahu Calls Jewish Festival Tragedy One of Israel’s Worst Disasters

The tragedy started when a pilgrim fell down a ladder, falling on other pilgrims who were panicking and overcrowding. Dozens of them were caught in the confusion and were trampled to death.

The death toll was initially reported as 28 people, then increased by 44 and renewed again to 45 people. Hundreds of other people were injured.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised an investigation into what he called one of the country’s “worst disasters”.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the death toll at 45. Rescue agency Magen David Adom said about 150 people were injured.

The family wants to bury the victims before the Shabbat holiday with funerals being held in Jerusalem and the city of Bnei Brak, which is mostly inhabited by an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.

Shalom Levy, attending the funeral at the Jerusalem cemetery, called the incident a “tragedy for the Jewish people”.

Among the victims was 38-year-old Elazar Goldberg, whose father asked God to protect his children while his son was buried in the Holy City.

The pilgrimage is the largest public gathering in Israel and possibly in the world since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out early last year.

Officials have warned that overcrowding could trigger the spread of the virus and only allow 10,000 people to attend the burial complex.

Also read: Trampled Kills in Israeli Jewish Festival to 44

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