A couple in the 20s drowned on Saturday when torrential rains in Tel Aviv flooded the elevator they were in.

An initial investigation into the incident indicates that the man and woman went down to the underground parking lot in their building to check on their car when flooding caught them inside the elevator.

Neighbors heard them banging on the panels of the elevator and alerted the rescue services. The Fire Department dispatched an elite rescue unit which sawed off the elevator’s roof and recovered their bodies.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he is “shocked at the tragic death of two residents of Tel Aviv who were killed in the elevator disaster.”

He spoke with the Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, the Transportation Minister Betzalel Smotrich, the Israel Police Acting Commissioner Moti Cohen and the Fire and Rescue Service Commissioner Dedi Simchi “to clarify how this happened and how similar disasters might be prevented in the future.”

Tel Aviv received several inches of rain within a short time period, causing mass flooding of vast areas. Several other people were rescued by emergency services after being injured or jeopardized by the weather. MDA medical teams treated 11 individuals.

Homes were flooded and heavy damage was caused to property.

The country, in general, experienced a wintry weekend with heavy rains throughout the country and heavy snow on Mount Herman and the northern Golan Heights.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday night resigned from all of his ministerial duties but remained prime minister.

Besides his role as prime minister, Netanyahu served as the health minister, social welfare minister, Diaspora minister and agricultural minister.

Yaacov Litzman, the deputy health minister, was recently appointed minister, and Netanyahu is expected to appoint other political figures to the other three ministries.

Netanyahu made the move in response to a petition by the Movement for Quality Government to the High Court of Justice, demanding he resign after he was indicted for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

Over 30,400 Jewish worshipers visited the Temple Mount during 2019, setting a new record for the number of Jewish visitors ascending to the holy site in one year.

In 2018, 29,939 Jews visited the Temple Mount, in 2017 25,628 Jews came to the complex, in 2016 14,054 visited, and in 2015 10,906 Jews visited the holy site.

Although the number of Jewish visitors in 2019 was a slight increase over 2018, temple organizations see the growth in 2019 as a big achievement after a decline in the number of visitors was initially recorded at the beginning of the year, which increased again in the second half of the year.

Temple Mount activists noted that these numbers include only Jews who came to pray or show a Jewish presence at the holy site and not groups of Israeli tourists.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Monday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and commended him “on the important US action against Iran and its proxies in the region” after the US conducted strikes in Iraq and Syria against Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) facilities in response to their recent attacks against coalition forces.

Reports say that at least 25 militia members were killed in the strike and dozens of others were wounded and that senior commanders were also killed in the strikes.

Pompeo said he had a “productive call” with Netanyahu, and they discussed the US “defensive strikes in Iraq and Syria to counter Iran’s threats.”

“The US will take decisive action to defend its citizens and interests,” he said.

Israel fears Iran and its proxies will stage long-range attacks on its territory and has reportedly carried out similar strikes against Iranian-backed militia who were stockpiling weapons and preparing attacks on Israel from Iraq.

Pompeo also spoke to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the same issue.

A group of some 250 Israelis visited the ancient Hasmonean-era site of Beit Tsur in the Hebron area and lit candles on the eighth night of Chanukah on Sunday.

Beit Tsur was an ancient town on the road between Hebron and Jerusalem where the last Hasmonean battle took place before they vanquished the Greeks, liberated the Temple and purified it.

During the celebration, Arabs from the nearby town of Halhul rioted and threw rocks and firebombs at IDF troops securing the event. The forces responded with crowd control means and dispersed the rioters.

No Israelis were injured and the incident.

In related news, a massive group of some 2,500 Israeli worshippers visited Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem (Nablus) and celebrated the last night of Chanukah.

Rabbi Elyakim Lebanon said that “Yosef the righteous was a dreamer and knew how to realize his dreams. One needs to know how to dream. Israel is a dreaming people and we will fulfill our dreams. ”

The entry was coordinated with the IDF and occurs several times a year. The prayers take place only during the night and under heavy security provided by the Israeli forces.