By Luis De Jesus
27 Jul 2024, 19:50 PM EDT
Northern Israel experienced its deadliest attack since the start of the war in Gaza on Saturday, when a projectile launched from Lebanon hit a football field in Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights. The incident left more than a dozen children dead and nearly thirty wounded, six of them in serious condition.
The Israeli Magen David Adom emergency service also reported 10 minor injuries and several victims with symptoms of anxiety.
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said this was the deadliest attack against Israeli civilians since October 7. A doctor at Magen David Adom described the scene as one of great destruction with burning objects and victims on the grass, Efe reported.
Israeli military sources said that Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite group, was responsible for the powerful rocket attack, which resulted in the tragic deaths of many children. However, the terrorist organization denied its involvement in this specific attack.
How did Benjamin Netanyahu react to the attack in Israel?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an early return to Israel from the United States following the tragedy. Meanwhile, the country’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held an assessment with senior defense officials.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack and said Hezbollah had brutally murdered children whose only crime was playing football. Foreign Minister Israel Katz also warned that the organisation had crossed all red lines and that the country was facing all-out war.
The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah began on October 8, in solidarity with the Palestinian militias. This latest episode escalated the tension between the Netanyahu government and the Lebanese militia like never before.
The United States condemned the attack on Israel
The United States reiterated its unwavering commitment to Israel’s security following the attack.
A White House spokesman condemned the incident and said the United States would continue to support efforts to end these attacks and reaffirmed its support against all Iranian-backed terrorist groups.
How does the war between Israel and Hamas continue?
In Gaza, the war continued with a bloody day.
New evacuation orders from the Israeli army have affected 180,000 Gazans in Mawasi, Efe reports.
The army also shelled a field hospital at the Khadija school in Deir al-Balah, killing 33 Palestinians, including 15 children and 8 women.
The military justified the attack with intelligence information about a Hamas command center at the site. It said measures were taken to mitigate the risk to civilians before the attack.
The Gazan Ministry of Health has called on the international community to stop the war and bloodshed in Gaza. In almost 10 months of Israeli offensive, more than 39,258 Gazans have been killed, most of them women and children, and an estimated 10,000 people are still trapped under the rubble.
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