Blame It on Hezbollah: The Tragedy of Twelve Druze Children in Israel

This wasn’t simply an unfortunate incident caused by the war with Hezbollah. Hezbollah took responsibility for firing rockets from Lebanon toward northern Israel. Whether the rocket was aimed at the soccer field, we may never know, but it was Hezbollah that fired that rocket. 12 children were killed, and many more were wounded. All were Druze children who had nothing to do with this conflict. They were living their lives on an ordinary summer day. Nothing can justify what they have done to these children. When hearing from these families, you realize there are innocent people who suffer from Hezbollah attacks.

During my visit to Israel, we stopped in Majdal Shams, a Druze village located in northern Israel. It sits near Mount Hermon, along the Syrian-Lebanese border. We visited the soccer field that was hit by a Hezbollah rocket on 7/27/2024.

We heard heartbreaking stories from grieving family members. One father told us about losing his sixteen-year-old son, and his other son was severely injured. His son spent a year in the hospital and remains partially paralyzed today. It was very emotional to stand there and hear these stories.

The Druze are a small religious community that resides in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Their religion emerged from a Shi’i Islamic background but developed its own distinct beliefs and practices. Family, community, and loyalty to their country are important values among the Druze. They told us that they have nothing to do with the war.

When asked whether Hezbollah deliberately targeted the children or whether the strike was accidental, they stated that it doesn’t matter. Regardless of Hezbollah’s intentions, he had lost his son. And these families have to deal with that.

What shocked me was how little time they had to reach safety. Because they live so close to the border, they told us they have as little as 6-7 seconds from the moment they see the rocket coming. There were shelters nearby, but the children did not have enough time to reach them. Before this tragedy, they were accustomed to hearing explosions, but nothing like this had happened. Now whenever they hear a siren, they are reminded of this day.

A foundation was established to help the children and their families cope with the tragedy. It provides counseling and organizes weekly meetings. They are a close-knit community trying to heal.

We also learned about the Druze’s relationship with Israel. Many of them thanked the Israeli people for all they did for them after this attack. They even stated that Israel is the best country in the world. Some Druze have relatives who live in Syria. However, many have been separated from their relatives for years.

This was one of the saddest things I’ve seen. All these children wanted was to live normal lives to fulfill their hopes and dreams. Hezbollah took that from them. Twelve children died that day, but the tragedy affected far more than those who were killed or injured. Their families and friends will carry the emotional scars of this tragedy for years to come.