Bus Crash Kills Driver, Injures 23 in Southern Israel

A group trip for Haredi girls ended tragically on Friday morning when a bus collided with a tractor on Highway 25, near the southern community of Shivolim. The bus driver, approximately 50 years old, was killed in the severe accident, and 23 passengers were injured. The impact of the collision crushed the bus, trapping several passengers inside. Firefighters from the Netivot station worked to extricate those trapped and transfer them to medical personnel. The driver was rescued unconscious with critical, multi-system injuries, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. ZAKA volunteers from the Negev region were called to handle the deceased with dignity. Simultaneously, numerous medical and rescue teams provided initial treatment to the injured. After an assessment, it was determined that three passengers sustained moderate injuries, and 20 others had minor injuries, contrary to initial reports of severe casualties among the passengers. Police reported that the highway was closed to westbound traffic following the crash, with traffic officers directing vehicles. Police accident investigators have begun an inquiry into the circumstances of the collision.