Northern Israel School Trips Resume After Fatal Ammunition Incident

School trips to northern Israel have resumed, the Ministry of Education announced on Thursday. This approval follows a ban on trips to the area implemented last Monday. The ban was enacted after an unexploded ordnance detonated, resulting in the death of one student and injuries to twenty students and staff members. Concurrently with the resumption of trips, Minister of Education Yoav Kisch instructed all educational institutions to educate students on the dangers of touching unexploded ordnance and suspicious objects, emphasizing the obligation to report such findings to authorities.

The approved travel routes do not include the specific path where the incident occurred. The approval document explicitly states that the "Ramat Ramim Scenic Route, Trail 2051" remains closed for rehabilitation due to war damage. The process for approving educational and youth movement trips is managed by the Ministry of Education's Bureau for Trip Coordination, which either grants or denies permission for activities.

An investigation into Monday's incident is being conducted by the Ministry of Education's Security Department and the Israel Police. Minister Kisch has also directed the ministry's comptroller to conduct a separate review. Eyal Ostrovsky, Chairman of the Jewish National Fund (JNF), told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) this week that the JNF had warned all parties about entering the forest, which is still considered dangerous. He explained that the forest has not been fully secured due to safety concerns, including infrastructure issues and burnt trees, and that rehabilitation efforts are ongoing. Ostrovsky noted that the JNF only began re-preparing the forest on June 22, and apart from the critical access road for security forces, much of the area remains unprepared.