A spokesperson for the U.S. embassy announced on Saturday that several American citizens were among the dozens of fatalities and injuries in a stampede during a Jewish religious celebration in Israel. The spokesperson referred to the incident that occurred on Thursday evening and into Friday, stating, "We can confirm that several American citizens were among the victims." The spokesperson added, "The U.S. embassy is working with local authorities to verify whether any other American citizens were affected by the incident and is providing all possible consular support to the affected American citizens and their families. Out of respect for their families during this difficult time, we refrain from making any further comments."
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express condolences. Netanyahu described the incident as one of the "worst disasters" in Israel's history and committed to conducting a thorough investigation to ensure it does not occur again. Israel began to bury the victims of the massive stampede that took place early Friday in northern Israel during a religious celebration attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews, resulting in at least 45 fatalities, including children, and 150 injuries. Medical teams worked on Friday to identify the victims, while witnesses reported seeing a "mountain" of people who were suffocated or trampled in a three-meter-wide passage after crowds piled up on the slopes of Mount Meron in northern Israel.
Tens of thousands of Jews had gathered at the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Galilee to participate in the annual Lag BaOmer celebration, which includes all-night prayers and the singing of religious songs. The celebration was divided into sections for males and females. Paramedics stated that injuries and deaths were concentrated in the section designated for men, according to Reuters. The police requested families to provide photos and personal information about those who attended the event and are still missing to facilitate the process. The Health Ministry reported that it had identified 32 individuals by Friday afternoon.
