Benjamin Netanyahu has declared Meron’s stampede to be one of the worst disasters in Israel’s history and declared national mourning.

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Meron’s stampede was one of the worst “catastrophes” in the country’s history and declared a national duel for Sunday. During his visit to the scene of the tragedy, he sent a message to the families of the victims and promised a “thorough, serious and thorough investigation“Ensure”that such a disaster does not repeat itself“.

“Sunday we will celebrate a national day of mourning after the Mount Meron disaster, one of the most severe disasters the State of Israel has ever suffered. We will all join in the grief of families and pray for the welfare of the injuredThe president began his speech, which was posted on his Twitter account.

He then said that many of those who died have yet to be identified, adding: “I want to avoid spreading rumors on social networks because it tears the hearts of families. Let the authorities work. I must also point out that a rapid rescue operation was carried out by the police, the rescue and security forces and we are grateful to them. They avoided a much bigger disaster. “

Finally, he promised “a thorough, serious and thorough investigation“To ensure that” such a catastrophe does not repeat itself. ” “I would like to declare Sunday a national day of mourning. Let us all unite in the pain of families and in a prayer for the peace of the wounded, ”he concluded.

At least 44 people died and around 150 were injured – around 20 of them seriously – in a Human jostling at the great Jewish celebration of Lag Baomer on Mount Meron in the Galilee, in northern Israel, between Thursday evening and early today, in one of the most tragic incidents in the country’s recent history.

Some 100,000 religious – most of them ultra-Orthodox – had gathered on the important mountain where the festival was celebrated, marked by songs, dances and bonfires., in the busiest event in the country since the start of the coronavirus, which at dawn this Friday led to an avalanche that killed nearly fifty people who were crushed to death when trapped in an enclosure narrow.

Medical services, police, and army soldiers – who sent relief troops into the field – spent the night treating and evacuating the wounded to hospitals, and dealing with an emergency situation. chaotic emergency due to the immense concentration of the crowd.

Large numbers of ambulances and helicopters arrived at the scene to transport the injured to medical centers in northern and central Israel.. About 20 of them remain in critical condition and the number of deaths could increase.

In the last hours, the transport ministry sent hundreds of buses and trains so that the religious still gathered in the region can return to their homes. According to digital Israel TimesHim, many men, women and children continued on Mount Merón, without clear indications on the transport to take.

IDENTIFICATION OF VICTIMS

Israel Police have opened investigations to find out what happened, while a preliminary investigation determined that the tragedy was caused by an avalanche inside a Hasidic group called Toldot Aharon, according to the public broadcaster can.

This morning the police began to identify the victims “and work to locate the missingHe said in a statement where he asked family members to provide specific information that could help identify their loved ones.

“In this difficult hour, words cannot offer comfort or describe the extent of pain caused“Said the Minister of Defense, Beny gantz, who expressed on Twitter his “condolences to families who have lost their loved ones“.

Gantz added that the authorities are “fully committed to investigating bugs“What could there be,”draw the necessary conclusions and apply them in the future so that this type of tragedy never happens again“.

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