Hiking Route in Ramim Ridge Did Not Match Approved Path

A map revealed by "Weekend News" shows that the hiking route taken by students in the Ramim Ridge, where a student was killed and 24 others were injured by an unexploded ordnance, did not align with areas that the Jewish National Fund (JNF) had declared closed. The JNF had prohibited access to these areas since the start of the war, issuing a closure notice to the Ministry of Education two months prior to the incident. Despite receiving this notice, the Ministry of Education's situation room and trip coordination center approved the route for students from the Orot Yeshiva in Ma'alot.

The map indicates in red the areas closed by the JNF and in yellow the approved hiking trail. The northern point on the map marks where the ordnance was found, and the southern point marks the explosion site. The students and teachers were hiking in an area that included a JNF-closed zone. Furthermore, a scenic road designated for vehicles and buses, which was explicitly forbidden for pedestrian use in the trip approval, had to be crossed by the students to reach their bus pickup point, forcing them onto a prohibited section.

The Ministry of Education stated that the restriction on the scenic road did not apply to the Israel Trail, which was open and included in the approved itinerary. However, the ministry added that an investigation into the actual route taken during the hike has not yet been completed. The report also emphasized the danger of unexploded ordnance in widespread areas and the responsibility to warn children, urging them never to touch such items to prevent similar tragedies.