Guterres, Sr. officials condemn Hezbollah rocket attack in Golan Heights, 12 children dead

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 29th July. UN chief António Guterres and senior UN officials on Sunday have condemned Saturday’s rocket attack by Lebanese militia backed by Iran on a football field in the Golan Heights that killed at least 12 children and teenagers.

Mr. Guterres and the UN officials urged restraint, they also warned against escalating violence in the region, according to a note to reporters issued by UN spokesman’s office in New York.

Guterres condemned the killing of 12 civilians, mainly children and teenagers in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured, the noted stated.

It said “Civilians, and children in particular, should not continue to bear the burden of the horrific violence plaguing the region”.

The note stressed that Mr. Guterres called all parties to exercise maximum restraint and reiterates once again his consistent call on all concerned to avoid any further escalation.

“The exchanges of fire across the Blue Line must cease immediately. All parties must comply with their obligations under international law,” the note stated.

It added that parties must urgently recommit to the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 and immediately return to a cessation of hostilities.

The resolution was adopted by the Security Council in 2006, resolution 1701 aimed to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for an end to hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, and the establishment of demilitarized zone.

UN top envoy to the Middle East Tor Wennesland warned Saturday on post X that the region is on the brink; “the world and the region cannot afford another open conflict. I urge all to exercise maximum restraint. The launching of rockets across the Blue Line must cease immediately.”

In a joint statement released on Saturday, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon and the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon also condemned the attack.

“We deplore the death of civilians – young children and teenagers in Majdal Shams. Civilians must be protected at all times, said, respectively, envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro.

They urged the parties to exercise maximum restraint and put a stop to the ongoing intensified exchanges of fire, fearing “it could ignite a wider conflagration that would engulf the entire region in a catastrophe beyond belief.”