One 14-year-old was killed, and 24 others were injured, some seriously, in an explosion involving an unexploded Hezbollah cluster munition between Kibbutz Manara and Kibbutz Yiftah in northern Israel on Monday, according to the IDF, with the military declaring the incident a mass-casualty event.
Students and staff members from the ORT Ma’alot Yeshiva High School were among the victims, according to a statement by the local municipality. Haifa’s Rambam Health Care Campus said it admitted three teenagers and one adult to the trauma unit after evacuating them from the scene, while Safed’s Ziv Medical Center is treating 14 injured victims in total. Galilee Medical Center is treating an additional six victims, one of whom sustained serious injuries.
The municipality noted that the students were in the area on an annual field trip, with the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority saying that a preliminary investigation showed evidence that one of the students put the Hezbollah cluster munition into his bag, which later detonated. According to ZAKA, two of those seriously injured were 14 years of age, with eight of those moderately injured being children, as well as 12 of those with minor injuries.
IDF, rescue helicopters, bomb disposal teams, MDA paramedics respond
Northern District police officers and bomb disposal experts responded to the incident, as well as IDF and Hatzalah helicopters, and Magen David Adom paramedics. Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levi and Northern District Commander Meir Eliyahu also arrived on scene to assess the situation, with the commissioner later noting that the field trip “received approval from the relevant authorities” to the best of his knowledge.
Levi added that he is considering scaling back field trips to the area in the near future “to re-examine whether allowing children to go out (on such trips) puts them at risk.” N12 News reported later on Monday that Education Minister Yoav Kisch is expected to announce the move, which would come into effect on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was briefed on the incident and is holding continuous situational assessments, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The Education Ministry also responded, saying that it is working “in cooperation with the security forces… to provide answers to the students, the education staff, and their families.”
“We ask that everyone act responsibly and avoid spreading unverified information, while the details of the event are still being clarified,” the ministry added.
Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot said in an X/Twitter post that his “heart is with the family of the deceased, the injured, and their families,” saying that he is praying “together with all Israeli citizens for the swift recovery of the injured.”
עוקב אחר האירוע הקשה בצפון. ליבי עם משפחת ההרוג, הנפגעים ומשפחותיהם. אני מחזק את כוחות הביטחון וההצלה הפועלים בזירת האירוע בשעה זו ומתפלל יחד עם כל אזרחי ישראל לרפואתם המהירה של הפצועים.
— Gadi Eisenkot – גדי איזנקוט (@gadi_eisenkot) October 12, 2026
An operations center staffed by social workers and psychologists has been set up in the area “to provide care for the students,” Ma’alot Mayor Moti Ben-David told Army Radio later on Monday. A bus was sent to collect any non-injured students at the scene.
An additional site to treat victims suffering from shock was set up at Zive Medical Center, including a dedicated team for the treatment of children and teenagers, according to the Health Ministry.
Beterem CEO: Parents should speak to children about danger of unexploded ordnance
Orly Silvinger, CEO of Beterem, an Israeli child safety organization, said the incident calls attention to the danger unexploded ordnance poses to children and that parents must teach them not to touch, or even go near, suspicious objects.
“To a child, unexploded ordnance may look like an intriguing, harmless object, but it can be deadly,” she emphasized. “Parents, do not assume ‘it won’t happen to us.’ Make it clear to children of all ages, including teenagers, that if they see a suspicious object, they must not approach, touch, or try to move it. They should move away, tell an adult immediately, and call 100 to report it to the police. A simple, clear conversation with children can save lives.”
According to data compiled by the organization, three children were killed, and 10 were wounded in incidents involving landmines, explosives, or unexploded ordnance between 2016 and 2026.
Meit Asher Regional Council head Moshe Davidovitz reiterated the call for Israeli citizens to be “vigilant on trips,” asking them not to approach unexploded ordnance and to report any sightings to authorities.
