Syrians Protest After Israeli Fire Kills Disabled Man in South
Rallies in Damascus and Homs denounce repeated incursions in Quneitra and Daraa provinces following the death of Moaz.
By Thomas Obasi ·
Syrian residents gathered in cities across the country on Friday to demand an end to Israeli military operations in the south. The demonstrations followed the killing of a man with a disability during a recent incursion in Daraa province.
State media reported large crowds in Damascus and Homs condemning attacks in the Quneitra and Daraa regions. In Daraa, an AFP correspondent observed hundreds of protesters waving national flags. Taysir al-Hariri, a demonstrator, told the agency that the group aimed to show the world Syria stands united against incursions and threats to national security.
State television aired footage of marchers holding posters with the slogan "We are all Moaz." This refers to the man with special needs whom Syrian officials said was killed by Israeli fire a day prior. Outside a United Nations building in Damascus, the family of another man seized by Israeli forces held posters reading "I want my dad" as they called for his release.
Israeli forces advanced into parts of Quneitra province on Friday and blocked several roads. According to state media, troops bulldozed olive groves, established checkpoints, and detained local residents in the area.
Since the new government took power in December 2024 after toppling Bashar al-Assad, the Israeli military has conducted hundreds of strikes and frequent incursions into Syrian territory. Israel also deployed troops into the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights, which has separated the two forces since 1974.
Israel has stated it will maintain troops in a security zone in southern Syria. The military seeks to create a wider demilitarized area in the region.
