A toddler who died in Beit Shemesh hours ago is at the center of a dispute between the Haredi community and Shaare Zedek Medical Center. The Haredi community says the hospital is refusing to perform a CT scan on the toddler and wants to transfer the body to the Abu Kabir forensic institute. They threaten protests if the transfer proceeds. Shaare Zedek says the decision is not theirs but rests with the relevant authorities.
The Haredi community is threatening to stage protests if the body of a toddler who died in Beit Shemesh earlier Monday is transferred from Shaare Zedek Medical Center to the Abu Kabir forensic institute. The community says the hospital is refusing to perform a CT scan on the child and insists on the transfer, which they oppose. Shaare Zedek says the decision rests with the relevant authorities, not the hospital. Police are investigating the circumstances of the death.
As The Zioneer reported at 16:16 Jerusalem, the toddler, initially described as a two-month-old found unconscious in a Beit Shemesh residential building, was evacuated to Shaare Zedek in critical condition. Early reports stated the child had died, but at 16:16 MDA clarified the infant was in critical condition, not deceased as previously reported. Shortly after, at 16:16, both N12 and i24NEWS confirmed the child had died, and police opened an investigation. Hours later, the dispute over the body's handling emerged.
The Zioneer has previously reported on similar tensions surrounding infant deaths in Haredi communities. On Saturday June 27, 2026, a one-month-old infant died in Bnei Brak under circumstances under investigation, without a reported dispute over body handling.
It remains unclear which authorities Shaare Zedek says will decide the body's disposition, and whether the Haredi community will carry out its threat of protests.
5 developments
- DevelopingFour-month-old found unconscious at Gedera daycare dies in hospital
- DevelopingOne-month-old infant dies in Bnei Brak, circumstances under investigation
- StrongWeek-old infant dies after brit milah in Jerusalem, police open investigation
- DevelopingYedioth Ahronoth report: Beit Shemesh Haredi extremists resist the State of Israel and Haredi parties
Source and signal
- Internal intake