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

A 15-year-old student, Elazar Yair Wilensky, was killed on Monday during a school trip in the Ramim Ridge area when an unexploded ordnance detonated. Wilensky, a ninth-grader at the Oranim religious high school in Ma'alot-Tarshiha, was the youngest of five siblings. His family described him as a "child of life, smart and wise, full of joy, a good and beloved friend, whose whole future was still ahead of him." The Ma'alot-Tarshiha municipality stated it is supporting the affected families and providing emotional assistance to students, families, and staff through its welfare and psychological services.

In addition to Wilensky's death, 24 others were injured in the incident, including seventh to ninth-grade students and school staff. Magen David Adom reported that two teenagers sustained serious injuries, two adults and eight teenagers had moderate injuries, and 12 teenagers had light injuries. As of Tuesday morning, 13 injured individuals remained hospitalized at Ziv Medical Center in Safed, with two children in serious but stable condition. Rambam Medical Center in Haifa reported four patients, including one in serious condition. The Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya is treating seven teenagers, three of whom are in serious condition.

An initial police investigation suggests a student placed the unexploded ordnance in their backpack, leading to the explosion. The IDF estimates the ordnance was a cluster munition fired by Hezbollah during the war that remained in the area. Iran and Hezbollah have previously fired cluster munitions towards the Ramim Ridge and nearby areas, leaving many unexploded bomblets. Such weapons pose significant risks, as unexploded ordnance can remain active for years.

One injured student recounted that a classmate picked up the ordnance during the hike, played with it, and put it in his bag despite warnings from others. The incident occurred after a prayer break when the student again handled the ordnance, placing it back in his bag before the explosion. The Mayor of Ma'alot-Tarshiha, Moti Ben David, stated the Ministry of Education had approved the trip, but an investigation is underway to confirm if the route taken was the one officially sanctioned. The IDF is also examining whether the trip received all necessary approvals.

Clearing unexploded ordnance from open areas is challenging, especially for smaller bomblets. A security source explained that while exploded ordnance can be identified by damage to vegetation, unexploded items are much harder to detect. The Knesset Interior Committee, responsible for monitoring mine and ordnance clearance, has reportedly held infrequent discussions on the matter since the ceasefire, and the National Mine Action Authority has not provided active updates on clearance progress in the northern conflict line areas.