3 killed in multi-vehicle crash in southern Israel

Three people were killed on Monday in a multi-vehicle crash in southern Israel, near the city of Kiryat Gat.

Another two people were rushed to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba in serious condition, while two others suffered light injuries, according to police and medics.

The crash occurred near the Kiryat Gat interchange on Route 6.

According to initial reports, four vehicles were involved in the crash, one of which caught fire, killing two people inside. A man in his 50s was killed in a second vehicle. Two more people — men in their mid-20s, sustained serious injuries in the third vehicle, and another two were lightly injured in the fourth vehicle.

Police closed off southbound lanes and redirected traffic to clear the wreckage. A paramedic with Magen David Adom emergency services said the “complex and difficult” crash scene spread out over 150 meters on Route 6.

Officers were investigating the cause of the deadly crash, police said Monday.

The aftermath of the car crash on Route 6 on June 5, 2023 (South District Fire Fighting Services)

Earlier in the day, a 46-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a crash in central Israel. Police were investigating the cause.

According to the National Road Safety Authority, Monday’s crash brings the number of deaths in car collisions in Israel to 159 so far in 2023.