Syrian Protests Erupt Following Death of Disabled Man in Israeli Strike
Crowds in Damascus and Homs gathered to demand an end to repeated military incursions in the southern provinces.
By Giulia Donovan ·
Large crowds gathered in Syria on Friday to protest recurring Israeli military operations in the country's south. The demonstrations were triggered by the death of a man with a disability during an incursion earlier in the week. State media reported that significant numbers of people assembled in the capital, Damascus, as well as in the central city of Homs.
In the city of Daraa, an AFP correspondent observed hundreds of participants in the rally. Many waved Syrian flags while chanting against the military presence in the southern provinces of Quneitra and Daraa. Taysir al-Hariri, a protester at the scene, told the news agency that the demonstrators aimed to send a global message. He stated that Syria stands united against Israeli incursions and against any entity tempted to interfere with national security.
Broadcast footage from state television showed marchers carrying posters with the slogan "We are all Moaz." This phrase references the man with special needs whom Syrian authorities said was killed by Israeli fire one day before the rallies. The incident has become a focal point for public anger regarding the ongoing military activity in the region.
Outside a United Nations building in Damascus, the family of a Syrian man detained by Israel held a separate demonstration. They called for his immediate release. Children in the crowd held up signs that read "I want my dad," highlighting the human cost of the ongoing detention and border tensions.
State media confirmed on Friday that Israeli forces had advanced into part of Quneitra province. The troops blocked several roads and established checkpoints in the area. Reports indicate that soldiers bulldozed olive groves and detained local residents during the operation.
The Israeli military has conducted hundreds of strikes and made frequent incursions into Syrian territory since the new government assumed power. This new administration took control after ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Israel also deployed troops into a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone that had separated the two countries on the Golan Heights since 1974.
Israel has maintained its position that troops will remain in a designated security zone in southern Syria. The country is seeking to create a broader demilitarized area in the region to ensure its border security.
