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families of the victims who suffered a tremendous loss.”

The Education Ministry said it had not been informed of the trip. “The trip was not reported to us, was not known by our situation room and was not approved by us,” it said.

The ministry added that it was following developments with concern, was in constant contact with the relevant parties and would soon provide the necessary responses to educational institutions on the matter.

The Defense Ministry responded to that statement by saying that according to rules and regulations, the Education Ministry is the professional body responsible for approving the educational activities in pre-military preparatory programs.

“The Defense Ministry is not responsible for the curriculum, including trips,” the ministry said, adding that it “continues to monitor the severe disaster in the Arava with great concern. It is very unfortunate that on such a day, not only does the responsible body not take responsibility, but it rather imposes it on another entity.”

It was the deadliest incident of several caused by unusually heavy rains over two days, which caused many normally dry river beds to swell into deadly torrents.

The floods also claimed the lives of two Beduin children who were washed away in separate torrents on Wednesday.

A Palestinian teenage girl drowned in Bethlehem, in the West Bank, medics said. A truck driver from Taiba is still missing after he was apparently swept away in another torrent within the Green Line, south of the Dead Sea, police said.

Tamara Zieve contributed to this report. •