Maccabi Petah Tikva Unveils Memorial for 12 Children Killed in Majdal Shams Rocket Attack

On the evening of July 27, 2024, a memorial ceremony was held in Majdal Shams to honor the 12 children killed by a Hezbollah-fired Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket during the Iron Swords conflict. The children, aged 10 to 16, were either training on the village football field or playing nearby when the rocket struck at 18:18, causing a devastating explosion. Emergency services treated 34 injured individuals, but 12 children succumbed to their wounds that night. A nearby stone wall that collapsed from the blast likely saved additional lives.

The tragedy deeply affected Israel and the Druze community, with thousands attending the funerals. The site of the rocket impact became a pilgrimage destination, prompting the local council to establish a memorial park that integrates remembrance with community life. The park includes a football field and an amphitheater for commemorative events.

Architect Tzvika Pasternak, known for memorials in Gaza envelope communities, designed the memorial in collaboration with the families and community. The centerpiece is a subtle yet powerful installation featuring a metal bowl representing the crater left by the rocket, surrounded by a rectangular frame incorporating the preserved remnants of the collapsed wall. The names and ages of the victims are inscribed on concrete tiles in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.

Pasternak emphasized the memorial’s understated design, where visitors are guided along paths converging at the crater, encouraging reflection. The metal bowl’s rusted texture symbolizes the rocket’s material, while the fragmented metal pieces welded together represent both the shattering impact and the healing process. The memorial was fabricated in the Golan Heights and installed at the impact site after approval by the families and local council.

The memorial park aims to honor the memory of the children while fostering community resilience, serving as a poignant reminder of the loss and shared grief between the Druze community and the State of Israel.