14-year-old killed in northern Israel school trip blast; police probe ordnance in student's bag

A 14-year-old boy was killed, and about 24 other people were injured, three of them seriously and one moderately, in an explosion believed to have been caused by unexploded ordnance during a school hiking trip near Mitzpe Pe'er along Israel's northern border on Monday afternoon. Police are investigating whether one of the students found an explosive device and placed it in his bag, where it detonated while he was standing alongside his classmates on the trail.

The victims were members of a group of students and teachers from the ORT Yeshiva High School in Ma'alot-Tarshiha, who were taking part in the first day of their annual hike along the Israel National Trail.

The explosion occurred in an area near the Lebanese border that had previously served as a staging ground for Israeli military forces and had also been targeted by Hezbollah fire.

The IDF is investigating whether the school trip had received the necessary authorization to pass through the area and, if approval was granted, whether it had gone through the appropriate military channels.

Investigators are also working to identify the unexploded munition, including whether it was a cluster munition or another type of explosive device. The military is examining whether the ordnance was left behind by Israeli forces or fired by Hezbollah and remained unexploded until Monday's incident.

The theory that a student may have picked up the explosive and placed it in his bag remains under investigation. Authorities have not established what triggered the detonation.

Footage from the scene showed students' belongings scattered across the ground following the blast.

Military helicopters and bomb disposal teams dispatched

Fourteen ambulances were sent to the scene, while the IDF dispatched three Israeli Air Force helicopters, personnel from its elite Unit 669 search-and-rescue force, a battalion medical team, bomb disposal specialists from the Yahalom combat engineering unit and additional military personnel.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said the circumstances of the explosion remained under investigation.

Kiryat Shmona police station commander Elad Ben Lulu said police received a report of the incident through the 100 emergency hotline at approximately 3 p.m., prompting a large-scale response involving emergency and security personnel.

"Every available rescue force arrived at the scene," Ben Lulu said, adding that investigators were examining all aspects of the incident as specialized teams worked to determine what caused the explosion.

Asked whether the explosive appeared to have been a large or small munition, he said: "Probably small, but there's no way to know yet. The professional teams are examining the scene, and I hope we'll establish the full circumstances as quickly as possible."

He confirmed that all the injured had been evacuated after receiving emergency medical care, including lifesaving treatment at the scene.

Police urged the public to stay away from the area and allow emergency and security personnel to carry out their work. They also called on anyone encountering unexploded ordnance or suspicious objects to keep their distance and report them to the police emergency hotline at 100.

'I heard a huge explosion and we ran'

One student who was taking part in the trip described the moments after the blast.

"I heard a huge explosion and we ran. A lot of children were injured," he said.

Eliyahu, whose son was among the students on the hike, described the uncertainty among families as details of the explosion began to emerge.

"I spoke to my son. He was apparently just meters away from the explosion," he said. "We still don't know which class was hit. Everyone is under enormous stress, and nobody knows who was injured."

"It's a school trip along the Israel National Trail. They started today. Suddenly, they heard an explosion and he ran," Eliyahu said. "They're waiting there to be evacuated. The group my son was with wasn't hurt."

The Ma'alot-Tarshiha municipality confirmed that students and school staff had been injured. Mayor Moti Ben David and municipal teams immediately headed to the scene and began coordinating with emergency services, rescue personnel and education officials.

"At this stage, the details of the incident and the conditions of those injured are still being clarified," the municipality said. "We are working to establish a complete picture and will provide verified updates as they become available."

The municipality urged the public to respect the privacy of the students and their families and refrain from spreading unverified information.

'A complex incident'

Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency medical service, said it received the initial report at 2:53 p.m. through its 101 emergency hotline.

Itzik Shoshan, head of MDA's Yarden region, said emergency teams rushed to the area in large numbers immediately after receiving the report.

"When we received the report of an explosion in an open area in the Upper Galilee Regional Council, we immediately dispatched large numbers of ambulances, mobile intensive care units and an MDA helicopter," Shoshan said.

"When we arrived, we found several casualties with injuries of varying severity. We immediately began providing medical treatment to eight people with serious and moderate injuries, as well as others who were lightly injured."

"This is a complex incident," he added. "We are continuing to provide medical treatment to the injured at the scene and evacuate them to hospital as quickly as possible."

The Education Ministry described the explosion as an extremely serious incident and said it was working closely with security forces and professional teams to support the students, teachers and their families.

"This is an extremely serious incident, and our thoughts are with the injured and their families," the ministry said. "We are working alongside security forces and all relevant professional bodies to provide assistance to the students, educational staff and their families."

The ministry also appealed to the public to act responsibly and avoid circulating unverified information while the circumstances of the explosion were still being established.

Netanyahu orders swift evacuation of injured

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was briefed on the explosion and spoke with MDA Director General Eli Bin, Education Minister Yoav Kisch and his military secretary, the Prime Minister's Office said.

"The prime minister asked to ensure that the injured are evacuated to hospitals as quickly as possible and continues to conduct ongoing situation assessments," his office said.

The investigation now centers on several questions, including whether a student handled unexploded ordnance before it detonated, whether the explosive originated from Israeli military activity or Hezbollah fire, and whether the school group had been authorized to hike through an area previously used by the IDF and exposed to cross-border attacks.