israel stampede
Israeli security officials and rescuers carry a body of a victim who died during a Lag Ba'Omer celebrations at Mt. Meron in northern Israel, Friday, April 30, 2021.
AP Photo
  • Dozens of people were killed in a stampede at a Lag B'Omer event held in Israel early Friday morning.
  • Tens of thousands of people, many ultra-Orthodox Jews, were gathered for the festival.
  • The cause of the stampede was not immediately clear.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Dozens of people were killed and hundreds were injured during a stampede at a religious festival in Israel, officials said early Friday. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported at least 38 people were killed.

Tens of thousands of people attended the event in northern Israel, many of which were ultra-Orthodox Jews, The Associated Press reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was praying for the victims, calling the incident a "heavy disaster," Reuters reported.

People had gathered at the foot of Mount Meron for the Lag B'Omer festival, which occurs annually at the Galilee tomb of second-century sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The events typically lasts through the night and includes prayer, song and dance, and bonfires.

The cause of the stampede was not immediately clear. Witnesses said some people were "asphyxiated or trampled in a passageway," according to Reuters. Photos and videos shared online showed people crammed together in tight spaces while trying to move.

Israel's national emergency medical service and the military sent medics to the site. The emergency medical service tweeted it was treating 103 victims. Dozens of ambulances and rescue workers could be seen at the site.

AP reported it was the first legal religious gathering held in Israel since the country's COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted.

Read the original article on Insider