2 babies dead, 53 hospitalized after suspected gas poisoning at Jerusalem Daycare

Two infants died on Monday at a daycare center in Jerusalem, while 53 other children were evacuated to hospitals for medical evaluation amid suspected poisoning, emergency services said.

The two babies, aged three and four months, were found in critical condition and rushed to Shaare Zedek and Hadassah hospitals, where medical teams attempted resuscitation. Both were later pronounced dead.

According to initial findings, the infants had been in a room separate from the rest of the children. Fire and rescue officials said no hazardous materials were detected at the scene, though investigators have not ruled out gas exposure from a heating device as a possible cause.

The daycare operated out of a five-room apartment and cared for children ranging from four months to three years old. Officials at Israel’s Ministry of Education said the facility was operating without a license. “We were not familiar with this daycare, and its operators never applied for approval,” the ministry said.

Dr. Menahem Estrik, a volunteer physician with Magen David Adom (MDA), described a chaotic scene. “Dozens of infants were inside the building. We conducted medical checks on site while transferring children to ambulances and intensive care units, then evacuated them to hospitals for further treatment,” he said.

The incident sparked sharp criticism from lawmakers and child safety advocates. Knesset Children’s Rights Committee Chair MK Katy Sheetrit (Likud) called for an emergency committee session, citing what she described as a failure of oversight. “It is unacceptable that unlicensed facilities operate unchecked and put children’s lives at risk,” she said.

The Child Safety Council urged authorities to launch an immediate investigation into both potential negligence and the daycare’s licensing status, warning that swift action is needed to prevent similar tragedies at unauthorized childcare facilities.