Latest news with #UnitedHatzalah
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Palestinian bus, truck collide on Highway 1, thirty injured and evacuated to West Bank
The injured have been evacuated to the West Bank, Magen David Adom said. The Red Cross has evacuated 30 people who were injured in a crash between a Palestinian bus and a truck on Highway 1 close to the Almog Junction on Wednesday afternoon, according to reports from Magen David Adom (MDA). A video of the accident published by Israeli local media shows the truck lying on its side off the edge of the road, with smoke coming out of the vehicle. The wounded have been evacuated to the West Bank, MDA said. The truck driver, who was also injured, has been evacuated by MDA ambulance to Hadassah Hospital, Mount Scopus. MDA medics and paramedics are on the scene, providing medical treatment. A report regarding the crash was received on MDA's hotline on Wednesday at 4:17 p.m. "Medical teams are currently providing initial medical treatment at the scene," a spokesperson for the voluntary emergency services organisation United Hatzalah said, according to local media.
Egypt Independent
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Wildfires rage outside Jerusalem, forcing evacuations and road closures
Jerusalem CNN — Wildfires raging near Jerusalem forced evacuations in several areas and led to several major road closures on Wednesday, as firefighters struggle to contain the flames amid dry conditions and high winds. Israel is seeking international assistance to fight the fires, as the defense minister says the country is 'in a time of national emergency.' 'This is perhaps the largest fire ever in the country,' Jerusalem District Fire Department Commander Shmulik Friedman told reporters on Wednesday afternoon. He warned that winds in excess of 60 miles an hour are expected 'in the near future,' dramatically increasing the risk of the fires. The fire forced authorities to close Route 1, the major road connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Wednesday – Israel's Memorial Day. Videos from social media show people walking along the highway with thick smoke filling the air. Hours later, emergency workers ran amongst long lines of abandoned cars on the highway, looking for anyone who may still be in their cars, according to a video from United Hatzalah, an emergency response organization. 'We don't know at this time what caused the fire. We don't have even a bit of a clue. We are still not dealing with it,' Friedman said. 'We are far from control.' The fire is active on multiple fronts, authorities said, with one area concentrated around the town of Neve Shalom, located about 15 miles west of Jerusalem. In one clip, the flames can be seen next to the road along a packed section of highway. The Israeli police has said they apprehend a 'suspect attempting to ignite fire in open field.' 'Officers from the Jerusalem District arrested a resident of East Jerusalem who was caught in the act of attempting to set fire to a field in the southern part of the city,' Police Spokesperson's Unit said in a statement on Wednesday. 'A search of the suspect's belongings uncovered a lighter, cotton wool, and additional flammable materials,' it added saying the suspect is man in his fifties from Umm Tuba, which is a Palestinian Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar held a marathon of talks with other countries to bring in firefighting aircraft, according to his office, particularly nearby countries in Europe. Three aircraft from Italy and Macedonia will arrive 'as soon as possible,' the National Security Council said in a statement. At least ten communities in the area have been evacuated, authorities said. 'We are in a time of national emergency, and all available forces must be mobilized to save lives and bring the fires under control,' said Defense Minister Israel Katz Wednesday. Smoke rises due to a fire in the forest area between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Wednesday. Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu/Getty Images There are about 120 teams fighting the fire, Israel's Fire and Rescue Services said, as well as 12 firefighting aircraft and helicopters. More than a dozen people have arrived at two separate hospitals as a result of the fire, according to Shamir Medical Center and Kaplan Medical Center. Meanwhile, Hadassah Medical Center on the outskirts of Jerusalem asked the public not to come to the hospital 'unless absolutely necessary.' The hospital has begun evacuating patients who do not need to be hospitalized, even as it prepares to accept new patients who may have suffered injuries in the fires. The fire is in approximately the same location as a similar blaze last week.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel cancels Independence Day celebrations as wildfires rage through country
Massive wildfires broke out near Jerusalem on Wednesday, forcing Israel to cancel its Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony as road closures and mass evacuations paralyzed the country, turning what should have been a festive celebration into a grim echo of the massive Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks. "Our volunteers were searching through cars abandoned on the highway for bodies; it brought them back to Oct. 7," United Hatzalah ambulance service President Eli Beer told Fox News Digital. Israeli Foreign Minister Slams Un, Calls It 'Rotten, Anti-israel, And Antisemitic Body' The wildfires broke out in a forest near Jerusalem and rapidly spread with the aid of strong winds. The blaze caused the evacuation of at least 10 communities and the closure of the Route 1 highway, which connects Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. Israeli media reported that 163 fire and rescue crews and 12 aircraft had been deployed to combat the flames. At least 13 people were injured as of Wednesday afternoon, but no fatalities were reported. At least 2,900 acres have been burned by the blaze so far, according to the Jewish National Fund. Top Hamas Terror Leader Killed In 'Precise Strike' By Israel: Idf Read On The Fox News App The Jewish state was forced to cancel its annual torch-lighting ceremony to commemorate the signing of its declaration of independence on May 14, 1948, or the 5th of Iyar on the Jewish calendar, and instead aired footage of the rehearsal ceremony. Numerous other Independence Day festivities were canceled as Israeli firefighters struggled to bring the conflagration under control. Earlier in the day, Palestinian terrorist group Hamas had been trying to incite residents of the West Bank to commit acts of arson via social media, and a man was arrested for allegedly trying to light a fire in an open field in southern Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Post reported. It is unclear what started the fires. Videos from the scene show flames engulfing hills near Jerusalem, burnt trees and the fire spreading down a large stretch of highway. Israel has appealed to the international community for help fighting the fires. "Over the past few hours, I held a series of phone calls with my counterparts from Argentina, France, Italy, the UK, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Croatia, Greece, Cyprus, Azerbaijan and North Macedonia, to request aerial assistance in dealing with the wildfires near Jerusalem," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar posted on X. "I thank all those countries that already promised assistance to fight the blaze and to those currently looking into our requests with great will to help. Israel is fortunate to have true friends who stand by her in times of need." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is consulting with senior members of his Cabinet about the fires. Beer told Fox News Digital that United Hatzalah teams evacuated a school and a facility for the elderly that housed many Holocaust survivors and residents on ventilators. "Israel is really shaken by this," he said. Jerusalem District Fire Department Commander Shmulik Friedman told the press on Wednesday that the wildfires may be "the largest fire ever in the country" and warned that high winds could exacerbate the blaze later in the day. He also warned that Israel was "far from control" of the fires. "We are in a time of national emergency, and all available forces must be mobilized to save lives and bring the fires under control," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz article source: Israel cancels Independence Day celebrations as wildfires rage through country
Fox News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Israel cancels Independence Day celebrations as wildfires rage through country
Massive wildfires broke out near Jerusalem on Wednesday, forcing Israel to cancel its Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony as road closures and mass evacuations paralyzed the country, turning what should have been a festive celebration into a grim echo of the massive Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks. "Our volunteers were searching through cars abandoned on the highway for bodies; it brought them back to Oct. 7," United Hatzalah ambulance service President Eli Beer told Fox News Digital. The wildfires broke out in a forest near Jerusalem and rapidly spread with the aid of strong winds. The blaze caused the evacuation of at least 10 communities and the closure of the Route 1 highway, which connects Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. Israeli media reported that 163 fire and rescue crews and 12 aircraft had been deployed to combat the flames. At least 13 people were injured as of Wednesday afternoon, but no fatalities were reported. At least 2,900 acres have been burned by the blaze so far, according to the Jewish National Fund. The Jewish state was forced to cancel its annual torch-lighting ceremony to commemorate the signing of its declaration of independence on May 14, 1948, or the 5th of Iyar on the Jewish calendar, and instead aired footage of the rehearsal ceremony. Numerous other Independence Day festivities were canceled as Israeli firefighters struggled to bring the conflagration under control. Earlier in the day, Palestinian terrorist group Hamas had been trying to incite residents of the West Bank to commit acts of arson via social media, and a man was arrested for allegedly trying to light a fire in an open field in southern Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Post reported. It is unclear what started the fires. Videos from the scene show flames engulfing hills near Jerusalem, burnt trees and the fire spreading down a large stretch of highway. Israel has appealed to the international community for help fighting the fires. "Over the past few hours, I held a series of phone calls with my counterparts from Argentina, France, Italy, the UK, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Croatia, Greece, Cyprus, Azerbaijan and North Macedonia, to request aerial assistance in dealing with the wildfires near Jerusalem," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar posted on X. "I thank all those countries that already promised assistance to fight the blaze and to those currently looking into our requests with great will to help. Israel is fortunate to have true friends who stand by her in times of need." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is consulting with senior members of his Cabinet about the fires. Beer told Fox News Digital that United Hatzalah teams evacuated a school and a facility for the elderly that housed many Holocaust survivors and residents on ventilators. "Israel is really shaken by this," he said. Jerusalem District Fire Department Commander Shmulik Friedman told the press on Wednesday that the wildfires may be "the largest fire ever in the country" and warned that high winds could exacerbate the blaze later in the day. He also warned that Israel was "far from control" of the fires. "We are in a time of national emergency, and all available forces must be mobilized to save lives and bring the fires under control," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Israeli PM Netanyahu's convoy involved in car accident, 17-year-old injured
Israeli PM Netanyahu's convoy involved in car accident (Image credit: netsysmX on X) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's convoy was involved in a car accident outside his office in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, as reported by The Jerusalem Post. A vehicle from the convoy struck a 17-year-old motorcyclist while exiting a Remembrance Day ceremony. It remains unclear whether Netanyahu was inside the vehicle when the incident occurred. However, Ynet citing those close to Netanyahu, the prime minister was not present at the time,. The teenager was transported to the hospital in mild condition, according to United Hatzalah.
