The body of a 40-year-old man was found today (Wednesday), around 1:30 PM, in his apartment in Yokneam in a state of decomposition - many days after he died.
Since the beginning of the week, ZAKA volunteers have handled nine cases of unresponsive people who were found long after their death.
Pinchas Sterling, a volunteer from ZAKA North, who treated the scene: "This is a young, inanimate man, about 40 years old, who is in a state of severe decomposition after apparently dying about a week ago. The deceased apparently suffered from a medical incident and was lying alone until the terrible smell bothered the neighbors, who called the police and fire department. They broke into the apartment and found the deceased in a state of complete loss of humanity.".
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ZAKA volunteers from the North Team treated the deceased with dignity at the scene, and the deceased's body was transferred to the Abu Kabir Institute for further examination and identification. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated by the police.
According to data from the ZAKA organization, since May 15, 21 lifeless bodies have been found in their homes, people who were found weeks or days after their death.
This is the 60th case since the beginning of 2020. This is a significant increase from last year, when the number during the same period stood at 44 cases.
Yehuda Meshi Zahav, Chairman of ZAKA: "It is a shame for us as a society, as a community, and certainly as Jews to find our elderly and lonely people in this terrible state of loss of humanity. They are dying for us.".
He added: "We often find them at home with the bathtub overflowing, or the kitchen faucet is open. They slipped in the house and there was no one to give them first aid or take care of them, and they just stand there dead still.".
