JERUSALEM — More than 60,000 people from the northern city of Haifa were evacuated from their homes Thursday, as firefighters battled a series of massive blazes that have gripped the country over the past three days. Local media reported that Israel was planning to bring the supertanker firefighting plane from the U.S. to gain control of the situation but it will only arrive in 24 hours. Some of the fires, which started Monday night, were still burning Friday, and numerous countries, including Russia, Turkey, Jordan and Egypt, had sent emergency crews and firefighting planes to help Israel tackle the blazes. The flames nearing the village of Nataf were among three fires reported in the Jerusalem area Friday — the fourth day in which emergency services were battling multiple blazes across Israel, some of which were started by arsonist “terrorists,” according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Almost 50 percent of the fires are apparently arson," Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan told Army Radio, while Education Minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of a far-right party, suggested those who set them could not be Jewish. Palestinian fire trucks sent to help

According to Magen David Adom, Israel's ambulance service, 35 people have been treated for light smoke inhalation across the country since the fires broke out earlier this week. Netanyahu, who on Thursday vowed to punish arsonists, has accepted offers of assistance from the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Jordan, who on Friday joined Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Russia and the United States in offering to help with firefighting equipment and personnel.
Around 50,000 people are evacuated as fires rage throughout the Israeli city of Haifa. The Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan says at least half the fires are to due to arson.