At least 44 reported killed in stampede at Israeli religious festival

KATHMANDU: FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 – A stampede at a religious festival attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel killed at least 44 people and injured some 150 others early Friday, medical officials said, in one of the country’s deadliest civilian disasters.

The stampede occurred during the celebrations of Lag BaOmer at Mount Meron. Tens of thousands of people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gather each year to honour Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd century sage and mystic who is buried there. Large crowds traditionally light bonfires, pray and dance as part of the celebrations.

The annual festival was halted last year due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Concerns were raised that the outbreak would cause more epidemics.