Student Killed, 24 Injured in Unexploded Ordnance Blast During School Trip

A ninth-grade student, Elazar Yair Wilensky, was killed on Sunday when an unexploded ordnance detonated during a school trip in the Ramim Ridge area. Wilensky was a student at the Orot Ma'alot high school.

Twenty-four other students were injured in the blast, three seriously and four moderately. One student described hearing a "crazy explosion," falling backward, and seeing blood on his limbs, amidst screams and confusion. Another parent recounted his son hearing the explosion and fleeing, witnessing traumatic sights.

Initial investigations suggest a student picked up what is believed to be a cluster bomb and placed it in his bag, leading to the detonation. The IDF estimates the ordnance was a cluster bomb.

Despite the incident, officials from the Ministry of Education stated that the trip had received approval from their situation room and the Nature and Parks Authority. However, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) had previously erected a sign prohibiting travel in the Naftali Mountains Ridge due to concerns about such dangers.

Police Commissioner Dani Levi was at the scene and indicated he would likely instruct the IDF to halt such trips in the coming days to re-evaluate safety protocols. Minister Yoav Kisch announced that educational trips in the area have been suspended for 48 hours following the incident.