Children Among those Killed at Deadly Stampede at Religious Festival in Israel

Image: Middle East Eye

Faizel Patel – 30/04/2021

Rescue workers in Israel say many children are among those feared dead in a stampede at a religious festival.

At least 44 people were crushed to death while more than one hundred others injured at an overcrowded ultra-orthodox festival.

Sky News reports chaotic scenes were captured on social media, showing men clambering through gaps in corrugated iron as they tried to escape the crush.

The crush happened just after midnight on Friday after tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered for annual Lag B’Omer celebrations in Mount Meron.

Local emergency services spokesperson emergency services spokesman Yoni Yagodozsky

“In the beginning, there was concern that one of the construction sets built in the area had collapsed. Then, it became more and more clear that people were trying to escape.”

Yagodozsky says there will be a “thorough investigation” following the “huge tragedy”.

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