Position of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights. Photo from the UN archive. The UN condemned the rocket attack on the Majal Shams area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Peace and security
The UN called the missile attack on the Golan Heights “disgusting” and the consequences of this attack “heartbreaking.” According to the Israeli military, a football field in the Majal Shams area came under fire. 12 deaths were reported, most of them children.
UN Secretary General Condemns Killing of 12 Civilians
In response to questions about “a rocket attack on a football pitch in the Israeli-occupied Golan,” the UN press service said, “The Secretary-General condemns yesterday’s killing of 12 civilians, mostly children and teenagers, in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan.”
The UN chief expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to all those injured. He recalls that civilians, and children in particular, must not continue to bear the brunt of the horrific violence that has plagued the region.
The Secretary-General calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and reiterates his call on all concerned to avoid further escalation. “The exchange of fire across the Blue Line must cease immediately. All parties must abide by their obligations under international law. The parties must urgently recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 and return immediately to a cessation of hostilities,” the document says.
“Heartbreaking news”
“We have received horrific and heartbreaking news of the deaths of children in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. The missile reportedly hit the football pitch during a game,” the official page of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on the social network X.
UNICEF reminds that the parties to the conflict are obliged to ensure the protection of children in all situations, and calls for an immediate end to the violence that leads to the death of minors and deprives them of a future.
On his page in X, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed condolences to the families and friends of the victims. “Civilians must not be targeted,” he wrote. “Amid the escalation of hostilities, we are deeply concerned about the safety of civilians.” According to the head of the WHO, in order to protect people, it is necessary to strive for peace.
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“I condemn yesterday’s disgusting rocket attack that hit the Druze town of Majal Shams. “At least 12 people have been killed, mostly children and adolescents,” said Thor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, in a statement. He called on the parties to exercise maximum restraint. “Rocket attacks on the Blue Line must stop immediately,” Wennesland said. He noted that the Middle East was on the brink of an abyss, stressing that neither the world nor the region could cope with another full-scale conflict.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly expressed concern about the escalation of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah along the so-called Blue Line in Lebanon. He warned of the reality of the risk of an expansion of the conflict in the Middle East, calling for everything to be done to avoid such a scenario.