Israel’s prime minister has declared a national day of mourning after at least 45 people were killed in a stampede during a gathering of ultra-Orthodox Jews at Mount Meron.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident, which took place at a religious gathering, as a disaster.
Eyewitnesses said hundreds of people were crammed into a narrow tunnel when the panic started with some claiming it was prompted by police barricades at the exit which partially trapped people inside.
However, others have argued there were simply too many people and the site was over capacity for what was the biggest religious gathering since Israel ended its COVID lockdown.
