Yael Shevach, whose husband was murdered in a 2018 terror attack, said her home in the Samaria community of Havat Gilad was completely destroyed in the wildfire. 'I have nothing,' she said, describing the home she had lived in for 18 years and expanded after her husband's death. A fundraising campaign has been launched.
Yael Shevach, whose husband Rabbi Raziel Shevach was murdered in a 2018 terror attack, issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying her home in Havat Gilad was completely destroyed in the wildfire that swept through the Samaria community over the weekend. 'I have nothing left. This house stood for 18 years, and I invested my life in it,' she said. The statement came as the full scale of the damage became clearer, hours after firefighters brought the blaze under control.
Reports from Saturday evening, first at 15:27 Jerusalem, described the fire as a major emergency. The IDF Shomron Brigade assisted, 45 firefighting crews and eight aircraft were deployed, and two firefighters were wounded. By 15:27, a special investigation team was formed on suspicion of arson. Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan reported 30 homes and businesses destroyed, while community reports blamed Arab rioters. Later, Israel Fire and Rescue Services said 13 homes were destroyed and cited a discarded cigarette as a possible cause. The home of Yael Shevach was reported destroyed in earlier versions of the story.
As The Zioneer reported, other families in Havat Gilad also lost everything, including a Givati reservist and his pregnant wife whose home and jewelry business were destroyed. A fundraising campaign for the Shevach family has been launched. Yael Shevach had lived in the home for 18 years and expanded it after her husband's murder nine years ago.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with conflicting accounts of arson versus accidental ignition, and the total number of homes destroyed is still unclear, with estimates ranging from 13 to 30.
19 developments
- DevelopingYael Shevach, whose husband was murdered in 2018, says 'I have nothing' after losing her home
- DevelopingFundraising campaign launched for Givati reservist Yishai, wife Tsofia after Havat Gilad fire
- DevelopingHavat Gilad wildfire: 30 buildings destroyed, 5 injured; arson suspected
- DevelopingFundraising for Havat Gilad wildfire surpasses 6 million shekels in 24 hours
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