Many Druze men and women, dressed in black, gathered for the funeral on Sunday for the 12 youths killed in a rocket attack on the Israeli annexed Golan Heights the day before.
The Israeli military stated that they were hit by an Iranian-made rocket with a 50-kilogram warhead fired by Hezbollah at a football field in Majdal Shams, a Druze town.
Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack.
The victims were between 10 and 16 years old, according to local authorities.
Before the funeral, Druze women surrounded the coffins draped in white shrouds early on Sunday morning.
During the ceremony, women in black abayas wept as they placed flowers on the caskets, while many men in traditional Druze clothing, including white caps with red tops, also attended.
“We are constantly worried, every night, every day, every minute. This has been the case for 10 months,” said Laith, a 42-year-old nurse, expressing the sorrow and concern felt by the community.
Under the blazing sun, religious leaders led a prayer gathering in a municipal building with the whole town in attendance.
Shops closed and checkpoints were set up at the entrance of every village in the Golan region after the rocket strike.
Israel’s military described the attack as the “deadliest on Israeli civilians” since the October 7 incident in Gaza triggered by Hamas.
In Majdal Shams, many residents have refused Israeli nationality since the Golan Heights were taken from Syria in 1967.
The October 7 attack resulted in the death of 1,197 people, predominantly civilians, according to official Israeli figures.
Israel’s military response in Gaza has claimed 39,324 lives, according to the health ministry in Gaza, without specifying civilian and militant casualties.
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