Written By Lisa Murimi
Thousands gathered on Sunday to mourn the loss of children and young people killed in a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Members of the Druze community wept as they carried caskets through Majdal Shams, expressing anger at government ministers in attendance.
The White House stated that the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah was behind the attack, which killed 12 people. Israel also accused Hezbollah, which denied responsibility.
World leaders condemned the attack and moved to de-escalate tensions, fearing it could spark a war between Israel and Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded by targeting Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, while Hezbollah attacked Israeli military bases.
The cross-border violence has intensified since Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel following Hamas’s attack on October 7, which triggered Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Hezbollah claims to act in support of Palestinians.
Saturday’s strike, which hit a football pitch in Majdal Shams, was the deadliest in the area since October. Israel’s foreign ministry reported that 10 of the 12 victims were aged 10 to 16.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his US trip to address the crisis, vowing that Hezbollah would “pay a heavy price.” Anger boiled over at the funerals, with some mourners shouting at government officials.
The international community condemned the violence and called for de-escalation, although opinions on responsibility differed. The UK and US backed Israel’s right to defend itself, while Lebanon’s government called for a ceasefire on all fronts.
