The most serious incident in the north since October 7: 12 people were killed - including 4 brothers, and 29 people were injured - in a direct hit on Saturday afternoon by a rocket that exploded on a soccer field near a playground in Majdal Shams.
Among the dead and injured at the scene were children and teenagers - aged 10 to 20.
29 people were injured, 6 of them in serious condition. 23 injured were evacuated to Ziv Hospital, 4 were evacuated to Poriya Hospital and two were evacuated to Rambam.
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From the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, we have updated on the disaster in Majdal Shams (as of 01:44): So far, a total of 37 injured people have been admitted to the Ziv Medical Center:
17 moderately to seriously injured (6 were treated in a trauma room).
19 are easily defined.
1 died of his wounds immediately upon arrival.
Currently:
21 were left hospitalized
3 were transferred to Maimonides Hospital with head injuries.
1 died of his wounds immediately upon arrival.
12 were tested and released to their homes.
IDF spokesman Brigadier General Daniel Hegary said in a statement to the media from the scene of the attack in Majdal Shams: "The rocket that hit the soccer field is an Iranian-made Falk 1 rocket, which weighs more than 50 kg. This rocket is only in the hands of Hezbollah.
""Ali Muhammad Yahya, a Hezbollah commander, is the one who directed the fire from the village of Shuwa towards Majdal Shams. The rocket, with a warhead of more than fifty kilograms of explosives, caused the deaths of 12 children and teenagers.".
Since the beginning of the war, 41 people have been killed by Hezbollah fire in the north - 22 civilians and 19 soldiers.
The IDF is preparing to respond forcefully to the disaster in Majdal Shams. It is not yet clear why it was not possible to intercept the rocket, which was a heavy-duty type with high explosives. The IDF said that the firing to the north took place after the IDF eliminated a terrorist in southern Lebanon.
An initial IDF investigation indicates that it was difficult for the air defense systems to intercept the rocket, and the case is being investigated by the Air Force.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - who is currently in the US - "is informed of the details of the incident in Majdal Shams, and is currently holding a security consultation.".
A senior political source said: "The incident will bring about a dramatic turn in the fighting in the sector.".
The Prime Minister's Office reported that immediately after learning of the disaster, Netanyahu instructed to bring forward the return to Israel as quickly as possible, and he will fly to Israel at 7:30 PM US time (2:30 AM Israeli time).
At the same time, Defense Minister Yoav Galant is conducting a situation assessment with Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and senior defense officials - including Northern Command Commander Major General Uri Gordin and Air Force Commander Major General Tomer Bar.
A Hezbollah source was quick to claim this evening, in a conversation with Reuters, that the Shiite terrorist organization denies involvement in the attack on Majdal Shams. "Hezbollah completely denies the accusations in the Israeli media about the shooting at Majdal Shams. Hezbollah confirms that it has no connection to the incident.".
IDF spokesman Brigadier General Daniel Hagari said in a statement to the media: "In a very serious and difficult disaster, 10 Israeli children were killed. The dead were all ten-year-old children. An initial investigation resulted in an immediate, but too brief, warning.".
Heghari added: "Hezbollah is lying and denying its responsibility. Our intelligence clearly shows that Hezbollah is responsible for killing innocent children. Once again, its cruelty has been exposed. This is the most serious incident since October 7, in terms of harming civilians. We will act accordingly.".
IDF spokesman in Arabic Avichai Adraee responded to Hezbollah's attempts to deny: "I can update that the Hezbollah field commander who directed the firing at Majdal Shams is Ali Muhammad Yahya - commander of the Shebaa firing range. Despite all attempts at denial: Hezbollah is responsible for the massacre in Majdal Shams and the deaths of the children and teenagers on the soccer field.".
Senior MDA medic Idan Avshalom said: "We arrived at the soccer field and saw destruction and objects on fire. There were casualties lying on the grass and the scenes were difficult. We immediately began triaging the casualties. Some of the injured were evacuated to local clinics and our teams were also directed to the clinics. During the event, there were additional alerts and the medical treatment of the casualties was still ongoing.".
Idan Avshalom, an MDA medic who treated the wounded from the attack in Majdal Shams: "There was chaos and very difficult scenes, children injured by shrapnel and with very severe burns. I have never experienced such an event before.""#NewsSaturday (Riyad Ali) pic.twitter.com/djBp6skrrw
— Here News (@kann_news) July 27, 2024
Ali Tarabia and Farhat Kassaf, paramedics from United Hatzalah, said: "When we arrived at the soccer field, we encountered a very difficult scene. There were dozens of injured people lying there. Together with other paramedics from United Hatzalah, we provided them with life-saving first aid. On two of the injured, we performed CPR together with other teams, and nine of the injured were pronounced dead at the scene due to the severe injuries they suffered.".
Sheikh Mwafaq Tarif, leader of the Druze community in Israel: "Great shock from the terrible massacre that occurred tonight in a brutal and murderous terrorist attack that hit innocent children playing soccer. It is impossible to imagine and describe the horrific scenes of the children and their shattered parts lying on the grass. A civilized country cannot afford to continue harming its citizens and residents. This has been the ongoing reality for nine months in the northern communities. This evening crossed every possible red and black line.".
Majdal Shams Council Head Dolan Abu Salah on the tragic event in his village: "A black day in Majdal Shams. We ask everyone to stay home and not disrupt traffic in the face of rescue forces.".
Samih Ayoub, a resident of Majdal Shams whose granddaughter was murdered, told Channel 12: "A great disaster, it's very painful. I was at the field this morning, where the rocket fell, and to my great regret, my granddaughter was among the dead. These were children who were training and were injured. I don't remember such a difficult event.".
Matan Dudian, a resident of Shlomi and one of the leaders of the headquarters fighting for the north, said after the direct hit on Majdal Shams: "How much blood needs to be shed for you to internalize it? For 10 months we shouted everywhere possible, and the hardest day of all came. The images are unbearable, just like October 7th.
""Over 30 injured and ten murdered. We heard the Prime Minister in Congress say that there is also 'another way,' and we say that the blood of our children was not wasted! We call for immediate military action and not to be satisfied with a weak response. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense must give the order to open fire in Lebanon against Hezbollah before Netanyahu returns. We are done being silent!"'
Documentation of the fall at Majdal Shamshttps://t.co/XM9ZN3ttcd | @ndvori
Photo: Use under Section 27A of the Copyright Law pic.twitter.com/NTK50lUeXw
— The News - N12 (@N12News) July 27, 2024
The organization "Lobby 1701", which represents 60,000 residents of the north who were evacuated from their homes, said following the disaster in Majdal Shams: "The horrific massacre of Israeli children on the soccer field in Majdal Shams crosses all red lines. The harsh images of body parts of children, all they wanted to do was play on the field, brought us all back to the images of October 7. Speeches in Congress are nice, but now is the time to put the talk aside and focus on real actions. The Galilee and the Golan are burning, the State of Israel is losing the north, the residents are losing their home. Every day the situation worsens, a decision and action are needed tonight, now! We cannot wait for the Prime Minister to return and start dragging our feet to which we are accustomed!".
Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the Conflict Line Forum: "I share the grief of the leadership of the Majdal Shams local council over the tragic harm to innocent residents and send a speedy recovery to the injured. I am furious! Apparently, until the rockets land in Caesarea, the Prime Minister and the cabinet members will continue their policy of ignoring the north. I call on the government to wake up from its slumber and act immediately!".
