The village of Majdal Shams, nestled in the heart of the Golan Heights, was recently the scene of an unprecedented tragedy that shocked the Druze community living there. The attack on the soccer field left twelve children dead, including young Alma, who, according to her grieving father, was full of life and passionate about sports.
The residents of Majdal Shams, caught between the recurring tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, were shaken by this unprecedented violence. Sirens and rockets are not unfamiliar to them, but this time, the horror was unimaginable.
For Ayman Fakhr al-Din, who lost his daughter in the attack, the shock was brutal. When he arrived at the scene of the tragedy, he was confronted with an unbearable scene, with lifeless bodies and scattered limbs. The grief and pain that now envelops Majdal Shams is palpable, united by a sense of solidarity in the face of adversity.
At the funerals of the victims, thousands of people came to pay their respects to the bereaved families, expressing their support in a silence heavy with grief. Speeches by religious leaders called for an end to the devastating war in Gaza, a call for peace in a world gripped by violence.
At the heart of this wounded community, the tragedy has left deep scars. Luna, who lost two of her cousins in the attack, struggles to express her pain. For her, the violence that struck Majdal Shams was all too familiar through images of massacres in Gaza, but she never imagined it would affect her own community.
The solidarity and unity that drives the people of Majdal Shams shines through in these moments of mourning, where everyone pulls together to face the incomprehensible. The children’s coffins, decorated with white flowers, were carried by the crowd in a collective heartbreak, symbolizing the cruel loss of innocent lives.
But beyond the pain and sadness, fear has settled in the village. Parents dread seeing their children play outside, fearing a new act of violence. The escalation of tensions between Israel and Hezbollah has raised fears of the worst, as the region is on the verge of explosion.
Ayman Fakhr al-Din, mourning the death of his daughter Alma, openly points to Hezbollah as responsible for this senseless act. Despite his anger, he calls for restraint and peace, knowing that violence cannot be the answer to tragedy.
Thus, Majdal Shams finds itself facing the unspeakable, struggling to overcome the trauma of a terrible attack that has shattered lives and torn apart a community previously united by solidarity and brotherhood. Their cry is unanimous: “Never again.”