Emergency workers and police could be seen at the entrance of the Lag B'Omer Jewish festival site in Meron during the day on Friday, after at least 45 were killed in a stampede during the overcrowded gathering in the early hours of the day.

During the stampede, which involved a structure collapsing at the festival, several people slipped, causing dozens more to fall as a consequence.

Authorities evacuated the festival and a field hospital was set-up on site, while dozens of ambulances and six helicopter evacuated the injured.

The incident took place as tens of thousands of primarily ultra-Orthodox Jews participated in the annual event, around the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd-century Tannaitic sage. The festival was the largest event taking place in the country since the beginning of the pandemic.

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