Student Recounts Fatal Ammunition Explosion During School Trip

A 14-year-old student, Eitan Masauri, who was injured in an ammunition explosion in the Ramim Ridge area, described the moments leading up to the blast to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Masauri recounted that another student found an unexploded ordnance item, began playing with it, and unscrewed its cap, which then detonated. "Guys flew, some fell into the bushes," Masauri told the Prime Minister, describing the chaos and shock.

Netanyahu visited the injured students and their families at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, accompanied by Education Minister Yoav Kisch. During the visit, Netanyahu spoke with Masauri, who sustained a shrapnel injury to his neck. Masauri also described his own efforts to help a wounded friend despite his own injuries.

Following the visit and the testimonies he heard, Netanyahu instructed the head of the Home Front Command to reinforce safety guidelines and public warnings regarding unexploded ordnance. He emphasized the strict prohibition against touching such items and ordered expanded searches of areas to locate additional dangerous munitions.

Minister Kisch announced a 48-hour suspension of trips in the northern border and Golan Heights regions and the rerouting of other planned excursions. He stated that an initial review indicated the ill-fated trip was approved, its route checked, and all directives followed, including a warning about unexploded ordnance in the pre-trip briefing.

The explosion, which occurred during a school trip organized by the Ort Ma'alot Yeshiva High School, killed one 14-year-old boy and injured 24 others. Among the wounded, two sustained serious injuries, ten were in moderate condition, and twelve had light injuries. The IDF estimates the detonated item was a cluster bomb likely fired by Hezbollah during the recent conflict.