Srinagar: Wildfires raging near Jerusalem have triggered a national emergency in Israel, forcing the evacuation of thousands and bringing large parts of central Israel to a standstill, even as the country continues its relentless bombardment of Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis is worsening by the hour, reports appearing in international media said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the fires, which began Wednesday near the Mesilat Zion area, around 10 miles west of Jerusalem, as life-threatening and a “national danger.” The fires, fanned by strong winds, have spread rapidly through the Jerusalem Hills, threatening surrounding communities and prompting road closures, including the critical Tel Aviv–Jerusalem highway.
Shmulik Friedman, commander of Jerusalem’s Fire and Rescue District, said the blazes may be the largest in Israel’s history, adding that firefighting operations would continue through the week. According to the fire authority, at least 163 ground crews and 12 aircraft are currently engaged in battling the flames. Seventeen firefighters have been injured, and over 20 civilians have been treated for smoke inhalation or burns.
International firefighting support is arriving from Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Romania, Spain, and Ukraine, while the Israeli military has deployed troops, aircraft, and heavy engineering vehicles to assist in containing the disaster.
But the wildfires have struck at a moment of broader national crisis, as Israel intensifies its military campaign across Gaza. On the same day the fires broke out, Israel carried out airstrikes in several parts of Gaza, killing at least 13 Palestinians, according to field reports cited by international media.
Targets included the southern city of Khan Younis, the Al-Tuffah and Al-Shaaf neighbourhoods in Gaza City, and areas near Deir al-Balah. Among the dead were farmers, children, and displaced civilians sheltering in tents.
The overall Palestinian death toll has reportedly reached 52,418 since the war began on October 7, 2023, with over 118,000 injured. The toll continues to rise as rescue workers retrieve bodies from under rubble, while thousands remain unaccounted for in areas inaccessible due to ongoing bombardments.
The airstrikes come as Gaza faces catastrophic levels of hunger, with some 3,000 humanitarian aid trucks blocked at the border by Israeli forces. International aid organisations and UN agencies have warned of deepening famine in the Strip, calling on world powers to intervene.
