As of Thursday morning, 119 firefighting teams are still operating at all fire sites in the Jerusalem hills region, although highways 1, 38, and 3 have been reopened to traffic.
At first light, firefighting planes from the Elad Squadron began conducting rounds over key hotspots and near residential areas to create a buffer between the flames and the homes. The fires remain out of control.
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Due to the intensity of the flames and wind direction, six fire hotspots are currently active in the Jerusalem Hills area: Sha’ar Hagai, Mesilat Zion, Nataf, Yad Hashmona, Neve Ilan, Mevo Horon, Canada Park, Ayalon Valley to Latrun, Neve Shalom, Burma Road to Eshtaol Forest, Beit Meir, and Shoresh. There are 119 firefighting teams on the ground from various districts, supported by 11 firefighting planes, three firefighting helicopters, and an additional helicopter. Another 22 teams are arriving at the scenes of the fires. Most of the effort is being directed toward halting the fire’s spread in the area of Highway 1.
The Fire and Rescue Authority reported that a total of 17 firefighters were wounded and required medical treatment, with two hospitalized. There were a total of 12 civilians wounded in the fires near Sha'ar Hagai who sought treatment at Shamir Medical Center’s emergency room. Four have been released, and eight continue to receive treatment. Kaplan Medical Center received three people with minor wounds, and two others arrived there independently.
Fire Commissioner Shmuelik Friedman, Jerusalem District Commander in the Fire and Rescue Authority, said on Reshet Bet, "There are still dozens of active fire hotspots. The main concern is that by midday, the winds will strengthen and the fire will return. We will need to continue working at least until Saturday."
International assistance requested
Israel has requested international assistance to help gain control of the fires. The countries approached for aid include Greece, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, and Cyprus.
Eight aircraft from Cyprus and Italy are expected to arrive on Thursday.
Romania’s foreign minister informed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that Romania will send two planes on Thursday—one firefighting aircraft and the other for logistical support. Spain’s foreign minister also informed Sa’ar that Spain will assist by sending two aircraft. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France will send a firefighting plane as well. Other countries have also expressed willingness to help, including Ukraine and Ecuador.
Additional countries have offered assistance with helicopters, and Italy and Croatia will also provide support.
Evacuated residents
Under the directive of Tourism Minister Haim Katz, the Tourism Ministry established a special operations room last night to manage the evacuation of residents and provide immediate aid to those displaced by the wildfires in the region. So far, the ministry has relocated nearly 200 people to hotels in Jerusalem.
Approval has not yet been granted for evacuated residents to return home, according to the local council.
The communities of Neveh Ilan, Yad Hashmona, Shoresh, Neveh Shalom, Bekoa, Taoz, Harel, Nahshon, Mesilat Zion, Mevo Horon, as well as the Latrun complex, Mishmar Ayalon, and Canada Park, were evacuated.
From the public psychiatric hospital Eitanim, which treats adults and adolescents and is located near Hadassah-University Medical Center, 104 patients were evacuated. Hadassah-University Medical Center requested that the public avoid coming to the hospital; however, as of Thursday morning, the hospital announced that there is no longer danger at the hospital and it can return to full activity. Staff had evacuated patients who did not require hospitalization.
Regarding IDF assistance, the Technology and Logistics Directorate provided water tankers and engineering equipment for the teams operating in the area. All IDF forces are working to rescue and assist civilians in the affected region. Unit 669 forces are conducting searches in the fire zone and are on standby for rescue operations and medical treatment.
Investigating terrorism as motive for arson
Around 5:00 p.m., police received a report from a caller who said they had spotted a person attempting to ignite vegetation in southern Jerusalem. Upon receiving the report, officers from the Oz police station in the Jerusalem District were dispatched and located the suspected arsonist. When the suspect saw the officers, he tried to flee, but after a pursuit, he was apprehended.
During a search of his belongings, a lighter, cotton, and additional flammable materials were found. The suspect, a man in his 50s from Umm Tuba, was taken in for questioning at the Oz police station. The police investigation into his actions is ongoing.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has begun investigating what sparked the wildfires across the country. The agency is working alongside the police and fire investigators to map out the areas where there is reason to believe the fires were caused by arson.
Fire and Rescue Commissioner Eyal Caspi said Wednesday evening, "We are currently facing a serious problem because the firefighting planes cannot assist due to the weather conditions. We rescued hundreds of people from a fire trap. The fire will continue into the night. Humidity is extremely low. We invested tremendous efforts in the Latrun fire, and several firefighters were injured. We will do everything possible to stop this fire in the coming hours. We are deploying the 'Shimshonim' platform, which will drop fire-suppressant materials."
The Defense Ministry issued a public notice Wednesday afternoon recommending that people avoid visiting cemeteries across the country due to the risk of collapsing shade structures and other equipment set up for Remembrance Day ceremonies, based on assessments by the Meteorological Service.
Defense Minister Israel Katz contacted IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir and instructed the military to make every effort to assist firefighting forces in dealing with the fires in the Jerusalem Hills. “We are in a national emergency, and all available resources must be concentrated to save lives and gain control of the fires,” he said.
Despite the fire, the Fire and Rescue Authority said that barbeques on Independence Day are permitted. However, it advised several safety precautions.
