On July 27, a missile strike on a soccer field in Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, killed 12 children. The explosion left a two-meter-wide crater in the artificial turf, with burned motorcycles, scooters, and children’s remains scattered all around.
Israel blamed the Lebanese militia Hezbollah for the attack, vowing to retaliate forcefully. Hezbollah denied responsibility. Al-Marsad, a human rights group based in Majdal Shams, called for an international investigation into the incident to “hold those responsible accountable.”
The strike, which caused the largest number of civilian deaths in an Israeli-annexed area since October 7, heightened tensions and raised fears of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah. But it has also brought the issue of the occupied Golan Heights back into focus, raising questions about the territory’s legal status and political future. …..more
