Israel PM vows to investigate deadly crush that killed dozens

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to look into a crush at a crowded religious festival that has left scores dead.

He said the "serious" probe "will ensure this kind of tragedy never happens again" during a visit to the scene near Mount Meron on Friday, reports BBC.

At the all-night Lag B'Omer festival, which drew tens of thousands of Orthodox Jews, at least 45 people were killed and 150 were wounded.

The cause of the crush is unknown.

Crush at Israeli religious festival kills 45

"There were some heartbreaking scenes at the site. Children were among those who were crushed to death "At the scene, Mr Netanyahu told reporters.

The "terrible tragedy," according to the prime minister, was one of the worst in the country's history, and he declared Sunday a day of national mourning.

The crush happened about 1:00 a.m. local time (22:00 a.m. GMT Thursday), and initial reports indicated a building had collapsed at the scene.

However, police sources later told Haaretz that it began when a few people stumbled on the stairs, causing hundreds more to fall. This has not been verified by the authorities.

Thousands of people struggled to escape across a narrow passageway in videos posted online. After that, loudhailer announcements urged the crowds to disperse, and police demanded that the whole site be evacuated.