A UN official has condemned the killing of civilians, including children and teenagers, in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. UNICEF also expressed horror and grief over the reports of numerous children killed while playing soccer when rockets struck the field, stating, “Children must always be protected. The cycle of violence that costs children their lives and futures must stop.”
Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, denounced the horrific rocket attack on the Druze town of Majdal Shams, which resulted in at least 12 civilian deaths, mostly children and teenagers. Wennesland posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Children continue to bear the brunt of the region’s horrific violence,” urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint and emphasizing the immediate need to stop rocket firing across the Blue Line.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the incident in Majdal Shams and extended his deepest condolences to the victims’ families, wishing a speedy recovery to all the injured. He stated, “Civilians, particularly children, should not continue to bear the brunt of the region’s horrific violence.” Guterres called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and reiterated his ongoing appeal for all concerned parties to avoid any further escalation. He also stressed the immediate cessation of all crossfire across the Blue Line and compliance with international law obligations by all parties.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, emphasized that civilians should never be targeted. In a post on X, Dr. Tedros said, “Our thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones, including children, in the deadly attack on a soccer field in Majdal Shams,” adding, “We are deeply concerned about the safety of all civilians if military activities escalate. The only way forward is to work towards peace.”
Both Janine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Coordinator of the United Nations in Lebanon, and General Aroldo Lázaro, commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), condemned the painful incident. The UN officials emphasized that civilians must be protected at all times and urged the parties to practice maximum restraint and to stop the ongoing intense exchange of fire, warning that this could ignite a broader conflict that could plunge the entire region into an unimaginable disaster. They confirmed that UNIFIL and the Office of the Special Coordinator of the United Nations in Lebanon are in contact with both Lebanon and Israel.
