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 and the youngest of five siblings, was remembered by his family as a bright, joyful, and beloved individual with his whole future ahead of him. The Ma'alot-Tarshiha municipality is providing support to the families of those affected, with psychological and welfare teams assisting students, families, and staff.

In the incident, 24 people, including seventh to ninth graders and school staff, were injured. Magen David Adom reported that two teenagers sustained serious injuries, while two adults and eight teenagers were moderately injured, and another 12 teenagers had minor injuries. Ziv Medical Center in Safed is treating 13 patients, including two children in serious but stable condition. Rambam Medical Center in Haifa is caring for four injured individuals, 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 ordnance in their backpack, leading to the explosion. The IDF estimates the ordnance was a cluster munition shell fired by Hezbollah during the war that remained unexploded. Iran and Hezbollah have previously fired cluster munitions into the Ramim Ridge area, leaving many unexploded bomblets behind. Such weapons pose significant risks, as bomblets can remain active for years and detonate upon contact. Neither Iran nor Israel are signatories to the international convention banning cluster munitions.

One injured student recounted that a classmate picked up the ordnance during the hike and put it in his bag, playing with it despite warnings from others. The adult supervisors reportedly did not see the ordnance. The explosion occurred after the group stopped to pray. The Mayor of Ma'alot-Tarshiha stated that 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, as areas opened to the public are supposed to be cleared of unexploded ordnance.

The process of clearing unexploded ordnance is complex, especially in open areas where witnesses are scarce. The Knesset Interior Committee, responsible for overseeing the clearance of mines and ordnance, has met infrequently on the issue of northern border clearance since the ceasefire. The National Mine Action Authority has not provided active reports on clearance progress in the conflict line communities. The task of clearing ordnance is divided between the IDF, which handles areas used by security forces, and the Authority, which is responsible for civilian areas.