People walk and ride bicycles on empty streets in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, September 21, 2026. Israel comes to a standstill during the 25-hour holiday, as observant Jews fast and most traffic comes to a halt. (Flash90/Yonatan Sindel)
Nearly 300 Israelis were injured while cycling, rollerblading or skateboarding during the 25-hour fast.
By World Israel News Staff
First responders from Magen David Adom (MDA) treated more than 3,000 Israelis across the country during Yom Kippur, with calls ranging from fasting-related ailments to injuries sustained while cycling through streets largely emptied of vehicles on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.
In a statement summarizing its operations during the 25-hour holiday, MDA reported that its teams treated 3,322 people throughout Israel. Of those, 2,268 were evacuated by MDA paramedics to hospitals for further medical treatment, while approximately one-third were treated at the scene.
According to MDA statistics, 368 people required medical assistance for fasting-related ailments, including dehydration, fainting and general feelings of weakness.
Yom Kippur also brought a surge in injuries associated with cycling, rollerblading and skateboarding. Nearly 300 people were injured while taking part in those activities, which are particularly popular on the holiday because Israeli roads are largely free of cars.
On Yom Kippur, the vast majority of Israelis refrain from driving, with vehicles generally used only in emergencies. The unusually empty streets create an opportunity for children and adults to cycle and engage in other outdoor activities, but also lead to an increase in related injuries.
A total of 155 women were transported by MDA to hospitals to give birth during Yom Kippur, while five women gave birth either inside ambulances or at home with the assistance of MDA paramedics.
Among the babies delivered with the help of MDA first responders were three boys born in Bnei Brak, Jerusalem and Hashmonaim.
In Ashdod and Yavne’el, MDA paramedics also assisted parents as they welcomed two baby girls.
Two people were killed in traffic collisions in northern Israel and in the greater Jerusalem area over the course of Yom Kippur.
Another person from Israel’s Arab community was murdered in Umm al-Fahm during the holiday.
Hours before the start of Yom Kippur, father-of-six Netanel Shukrun was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist while swimming in a natural spring in Samaria.
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