Thousands mourn the children killed in the Golan Heights strike.
Thousands gathered on Sunday in Majdal Shams for the funerals of children and young people killed in a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The attack has prompted global leaders to work on containing the political fallout.
The Druze community mourned as they carried caskets through the town, with many expressing anger towards government officials, as reported by Israeli media.
The White House announced that the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah was responsible for the attack, which claimed 12 lives. Israel also accused Hezbollah, though the group denies involvement.
World leaders have condemned the strike and are striving to de-escalate tensions, fearing it could spark a war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Following the attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted Hezbollah positions in Lebanon overnight. Hezbollah, in turn, attacked two Israeli military bases on Sunday.
Cross-border hostilities have intensified since Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israeli targets after a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which led to Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Hezbollah claims its actions are in support of the Palestinians.
Saturday’s strike was the deadliest incident in Israel's northern border area since October. It occurred on a football pitch in Majdal Shams, one of four towns in the Golan Heights where about 25,000 Druze live.
According to Israel's foreign ministry, 10 of the 12 victims were between 10 and 16 years old, while the ages of the remaining two have not been disclosed.
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