School Trip Explosion Kills Teen, Injures 24 in Northern Israel

A 15-year-old student was killed and 24 others, including students and teachers from Ma'alot-Tarshiha, were injured in an explosive device detonation in northern Israel on October 12. The victims were part of an excursion group from the ORT religious middle school. The full scope and cause of the incident are still under investigation, according to Ynet. One working theory suggests a student found an unexploded ordnance and placed it in his backpack, where it detonated as he walked with classmates. The explosion occurred near the Mitzpe-Pe'er lookout point on the Ramim ridge, close to Kibbutz Yiftah, during the group's annual hike on the Israel Trail. The Ministry of Education had approved the hike, stating it was organized according to all regulations and under IDF supervision. The IDF is investigating whether permission was granted for the group to traverse that specific section near Mitzpe-Pe'er and if it was properly coordinated. This area, near the border, was previously occupied by IDF units during wartime and was heavily shelled by Hezbollah.

The IDF is also examining whether the unexploded ordnance was left by Israeli forces or was fired by Hezbollah and fell in the forest. The primary hypothesis is that the detonated object was a submunition from a cluster munition, possibly from a Hezbollah rocket. Cluster munitions scatter numerous smaller bomblets over a wide area, increasing casualties and complicating rescue efforts. Such munitions can be fired as artillery shells, rockets, or dropped as bombs from various platforms.

The incident has raised questions about the suitability of conducting hikes, especially for schoolchildren, in this densely wooded area near the Lebanese border. The mayor of Ma'alot-Tarshiha, Moti Ben-David, stated that there were no warnings and the Ministry of Education's permit was obtained, with the ministry having coordinated the hike with all relevant bodies. He acknowledged constant concerns about such incidents, referencing the impact of past wars.

Further complicating the situation, Ynet discovered a Jewish National Fund (JNF) poster at the forest entrance explicitly prohibiting entry due to war damage and ongoing restoration work. The explosion resulted in one fatality and 24 injuries: three severe, ten moderate, and eleven light. Emergency services, including 14 ambulances, responded. Multiple hospitals received casualties, including Ziv Hospital in Safed, Rambam Hospital in Haifa, and the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. The IDF deployed air force helicopters, rescue units, and bomb disposal teams to the scene, with sappers searching for additional ordnance. Police confirmed the suspected detonation of an unexploded ordnance and cordoned off the area, urging the public to stay away and report any suspicious items. Police officials described the explosive as likely small but not definitively confirmed.

Following the tragedy, the Upper Galilee Regional Council closed roads leading to the area and advised against travel. The Ma'alot-Tarshiha municipality expressed condolences and stated they are working with emergency services and educational authorities, requesting privacy for the affected families. Eliyahu, the father of one student, reported his son was meters away from the blast and is safe, though shaken. Dvir Weisberg, a United Hatzalah medic, described the scene as severe, providing aid to multiple casualties. Magen David Adom's Jordan Region head, Itzik Shoshan, detailed the extensive medical response and evacuation efforts. The Prime Minister's Office stated that Netanyahu was briefed on the incident and spoke with MADA's Director-General Eli Bin, Minister of Education Yoav Kish, and his military secretary. Minister Kish was en route to the north to visit the site and a hospital.