In the wake of Hezbollah’s rocket attack that killed 12 children and injured 40 others in the Golan Heights Druze village of Majdal Shams, IsraAID mobilized an emergency response team to provide support.
The humanitarian aid organization dispatched a team of experts in trauma, logistics and mental health to the northern Israeli town on Monday. These specialists have extensive experience working with communities along the Gaza border region since the outbreak of the current conflict on October 7.
Saturday’s attack, which struck a soccer field in Majdal Shams near the Lebanese border, marks the deadliest single incident in northern Israel since the beginning of the war.
“There’s a lot of anger, pain and sadness right now in the community. Saturday’s horrific attack was an unfathomable tragedy, and people are still in the initial stages of coming to terms with what happened,” said Mai Leshem, IsraAID’s coordinator of psychosocial support in emergencies.
“In Majdal Shams, it’s clear how tightknit the community is, which will be a strength on the road to recovery. Community members spoke about the need for support and mental health resources, particularly for young people. We’re here to offer our resources and expertise, and help strengthen the local authorities and organizations as they work through this difficult time,” she added.
In a shocking incident on July 27, a Hezbollah missile struck a soccer field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams, located in Israel’s north, killing 12 children aged between 10 and 16, and injuring 40 others.
The tragic attack on children at play caused widespread international condemnation, and has brought renewed attention to the Druze community in Israel, prompting questions about their identity, history and role in Israeli society.
IsraAID was set up originally to provide help to overseas communities in the wake of disaster. Since October 7, however, while continuing to work abroad, it also began extensive work to assist Israeli communities impacted by the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
The non-governmental organization provides immediate and long-term support to over a dozen communities that were attacked and evacuated, offering services in mental health, art therapy, logistics and education.
The aid group has focused on community-level mental health resources and group therapy. It continues to partner with 10 kibbutzim and moshavim as they transition from evacuation centers to temporary housing and, eventually, back to their homes.
IsraAID has also organized mental-health retreats in Cyprus for survivors of the Supernova massacre and has been supporting the southern Bedouin community with rocket shelters and psychosocial support programs since November.
IsraAID Head of Emergencies and Operations Michal Bar expressed the organization’s commitment to supporting the community: “We are heartbroken by this horrific tragedy and our hearts are with the families and community members who have lost loved ones. Our team will use our experience to support the community in Majdal Shams, in any way we can.”
She emphasized the importance of timely mental-health support. “Since October 7th, we have seen so many communities facing ongoing uncertainty and fear. Each community has its own unique needs and challenges, but timely mental-health support is critical to face these difficult realities and build resilience for the future.”
Meanwhile, national medical emergency response organization Magen David Adom has launched an emergency blood drive to help those who were injured by the attack. MDA has issued a call to the public to donate blood at the Community Lottery Center in Daliat el-Carmel, a Druze village near Haifa.
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