At least 28 people have been killed in a crush at a mass gathering in northern Israel, according to a spokesman for the ZAKA emergency service.
Tens of thousands of people had gathered at the foot of Mount Meron to celebrate Lag BaOmer, a Jewish holiday honoring Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a second century sage and mystic who is buried there.
Another emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA), said through a spokesman that at least 50 people had been injured at the gathering, 20 of them critically.
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The injuries were the result of overcrowding and not caused by the collapse of any structure at the site, the spokesman, Zaki Heller said, rebutting initial reports that staging had collapsed.
In addition to MDA ambulances, six helicopters were used to transfer the wounded to hospitals, Heller said.
It was the first huge religious gathering of its kind to be held legally since Israel lifted nearly all restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The country has seen cases plummet since launching one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns late last year.
More to come.
Source: https://ift.tt/2RcwaNb
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