Full coverage· Security· Updated 13:36

School Trip Approved Despite Warning, Student Killed by Ordnance

A 14-year-old student, Elazar Yair Vilensky, was killed by unexploded ordnance on Ramim Ridge in northern Israel during a school trip on Tuesday. The incident has raised serious questions about the trip approval process and the responsibility for clearing unexploded ordnance in civilian areas.

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School Trip Approved Despite Warning, Student Killed by Ordnance — Illustration by baba

What happened

01A 14-year-old student, Elazar Yair Vilensky, was killed by unexploded ordnance on Ramim Ridge during a school trip.
02The school trip was approved by the Ministry of Education despite warnings from KKL-JNF that the trail was closed.
03KKL-JNF had warned that the area was closed due to war damage and ongoing forest rehabilitation work.
04The Ministry of Education claims the approved hiking route avoided the restricted area and followed all safety protocols.
05The IDF and the police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident on Ramim Ridge.
06Responsibility for clearing unexploded ordnance in open areas remains a subject of dispute between the police and the Ministry of Defense.

The Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) had warned the Ministry of Education that the trail was closed due to war damage, and a warning was posted on the Moked Teva website. KKL-JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky confirmed that the forest had not been cleared for safety reasons and that rehabilitation work was ongoing following rocket fire during the war.

The Ministry of Education stated that it followed all safety protocols and that the approved route did not pass through the prohibited area. According to the ministry, participants received explicit instructions not to touch any missile remnants or ammunition. The IDF and the police are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 12:16