Teenager Killed, 24 Injured in Northern Israel Unexploded Ordnance Blast

A 14-year-old boy was killed and 24 students and teachers were injured on Monday by an explosion of unexploded ordnance in the Ramim Ridge area of the Galilee. Police and the IDF are investigating the possibility that the munition was a Hezbollah cluster bomb that had been placed in a student's backpack and detonated.

The incident occurred during an annual trip for 7th to 9th graders from the Orot High School in Ma'alot. The trip, approved by the Ministry of Education, included approximately 50 students and a small number of staff. While walking in the Ramim Ridge area, the students found a piece of ordnance. Initial investigations suggest that one student placed the munition in his bag, and it exploded shortly thereafter, causing numerous casualties.

Elijah Galil, the father of a student who participated in the trip, said his son had sent him a picture of the munition moments before the disaster. According to Galil, the students were holding the item and taking pictures with it. "They were excited about it, they took pictures, apparently one of the kids put it in his bag and it exploded when the bag was on the side," Galil stated, adding that the outcome could have been worse. "Many youngsters we know from the community and the area were injured. Shrapnel in the shoulder, in the eyes, all sorts of unpleasant places."

MDA and military medical teams at the scene attempted resuscitation efforts but were forced to declare the 14-year-old boy dead. The 24 other injured individuals were evacuated by helicopter to Ziv Hospital in Safed, Rambam Hospital in Haifa, and the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. Two teenagers are hospitalized in serious condition, 10 are in moderate condition, and the rest are lightly injured.

The tragedy strikes the Ma'alot school community as it is still dealing with the war's repercussions. Michael Shoshan, a teacher at the school who lost his son, officer Yair, in recent battles, shared the anxiety and confusion at the educational institution. "Some of the injured are my students and trainees. There are also injured teachers I know of, one of them is in serious condition," Shoshan explained. "The school hasn't recovered from the loss of my son Yair, and now this event has befallen us. We don't know how to process it."

Following the explosion, military and police forces, including bomb disposal experts, secured the area and are investigating the circumstances. While the Ministry of Education announced it is providing psychological support to students and families, Moshe Davidovitch, Head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council, criticized the lack of preparation for trips in the area. Davidovitch called on government ministries to allocate resources for preliminary safety tours before approving any trip in the confrontation line, which has many unexploded ordnance remnants since the start of the war.