[VIDEO AND PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

The recovery mission involving the IDF Homefront Command and ZAKA continued on Erev Shabbos at the site of the underground parking lot collapse in Tel Aviv as rescue workers continued laborious efforts to extricate two additional bodies.

After consultation with the chairman of the ZAKA’s Rabbinical Council Rav, Rabbi Yaakov Roget, the heter was given to permit ZAKA to continue during Shabbos.

ZAKA’s Operations Officer of the International Units, Yossi Fraenkel explains the decision to continue working through Shabbos: “After previous experiences where we have found people trapped after a few days of being under rubble in an air pocket, ZAKA’s Halachic authorities have told us that not only are we allowed to work through Shabbos, but we have to, in the hope and chance of finding the last two remaining victims alive. We will not stop until we can reunite the missing person with their family.”

ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi-Zahav also remained on the site over Shabbos along with 20 out of a total of 70 ZAKA volunteers in the specialist ZAKA-IDF Homefront Command Unit will remain at the site over Shabbos, working in teams and in rotation.

Food and other provisions were brought in for Shabbos and once again, it was a Kiddush Hashem to see the ZAKA volunteers working side-by-side with the Homefront personnel and how ZAKA brought Shabbos to all at the site as seen in the video.

ZAKA volunteer Yehuda Dahan: “We have been working at the site on a rotation basis, 24/7, for nearly a week. Earlier today, we managed to locate one of the three missing workers and we are working to recover the body for burial and identification. This is a very difficult area in which to work, with constant danger of collapse. We will continue searching into Shabbos until we find the remaining two missing workers.”

B’chasdei Hashem the last two bodies were recovered. Unfortunately, they were no longer alive, bringing the death toll in the collapse to six.

Homefront Commander Officially closes down recovery operation, but not before thanking ZAKA volunteers for taking part in the operation.

It is pointed out the videos from Shabbos were taken by a non-Jewish worker present on the site.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)