Syrians Protest Israeli Military Moves in South

Crowds gathered in Damascus, Homs, and Daraa on Friday to protest Israeli military operations in southern Syria. The demonstrations followed reports that Israeli forces advanced into parts of Quneitra province and blocked several roads earlier in the week.

State media indicated that protesters in Daraa waved national flags while chanting against the incursions. Taysir al-Hariri, a participant in the Daraa rally, told AFP that the crowd aimed to send a message to the world. He stated that Syria stands united against Israeli moves and anyone tempted to tamper with national security.

A central focus of the rallies was Moaz, a man with special needs. State television showed marchers holding posters that read "We are all Moaz." Syrian officials said he was killed by Israeli fire during an incursion in Daraa province a day before the rallies began. Outside a United Nations building in Damascus, the family of another Syrian man seized by Israel demanded his release, with children holding signs that said "I want my dad."

Israeli forces have maintained a presence in the region since the new government took power in December 2024. Military sources report that troops have bulldozed olive groves, established checkpoints, and detained residents in the southern area. The Israeli army also entered the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights, a line that had separated forces since 1974.

Jerusalem officials have stated their intent to keep troops in a designated security zone in the south. They are seeking a larger demilitarized area to secure the border. The military has conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria and made frequent incursions into the country since the change in leadership.