West Bank family receives envelopes filled with suspicious white powder

The family said the envelopes had arrived at their home on HaRabi Mi-Zvehil Street after they had made an online purchase.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Updated: OCTOBER 14, 2018 20:18
From the scene at Betar Illit on Sunday (photo credit: HATZALAH UNITED)
From the scene at Betar Illit on Sunday
(photo credit: HATZALAH UNITED)
A family that lives in the Betar Illit settlement in the West Bank received two envelopes containing white powder, which made their eyes sting and caused them difficulties in breathing, the Israel Police’s Judea and Samaria District spokesman said on Sunday.
The family said the envelopes had arrived at their home on HaRabi Mi-Zvehil Street after they had made an online purchase. Police and emergency services who were called to the house evacuated the building and cordoned off the adjacent street.
United Hatzalah volunteers treated four of the family members, the mother, 47, a daughter, 20, and two sons, 7 and 17, who were suffering from dizziness and light-headedness.
Chaim Blau, a United Hatzalah EMT from Betar Illit was one of the first responders at the scene said: “The emergency involved four family members who all took ill after opening a package that contained a suspicious and unidentified substance. The four injured family members were transported to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital for further check-ups and care. They were classified as being  lightly injured.”
 
The Israel Fire and Rescue Services also reported that two of their teams were called to a different street in Betar Illit, Ohev Yisrael, due to a suspicious envelope.