Syrians March Nationwide Following Fatal Israeli Strike in Daraa
Demonstrators in Damascus and Homs demand Israeli withdrawal from the south after forces advance into Quneitra province.
By Amit Ricci ·
Protesters in Syria rallied on Friday to condemn repeated Israeli military incursions in the country's southern provinces. The demonstrations followed an operation earlier this week that killed a man with a disability, a death that galvanized public anger across the nation.
State media reported large crowds gathering in the capital, Damascus, and the central city of Homs. Participants denounced attacks in the Quneitra and Daraa provinces. In Daraa, an AFP correspondent observed hundreds of people at a rally, with several waving Syrian flags. Taysir al-Hariri, a protester present at the scene, told the agency that the crowd aimed to "send a message to the world" regarding Syria's unity against "Israeli incursions and against anyone who is tempted to tamper. with national security".
Footage from state television showed marchers carrying posters with the slogan "We are all Moaz." The name refers to the man with special needs who was killed by Israeli fire a day prior to the rallies. The specific reference to his death linked the nationwide protest to a single, high-profile casualty in the southern conflict.
In Damascus, the family of a Syrian man detained by Israeli forces gathered outside a United Nations building. They held posters reading "I want my dad" to demand his release. This display added a personal dimension to the political demands for withdrawal and accountability.
State media confirmed on Friday that Israeli forces advanced into part of Quneitra province, blocking several roads. Israeli troops have bulldozed olive groves, established checkpoints, and detained residents in the area. The military has conducted hundreds of strikes and frequent incursions since the new government took power after toppling Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Israel also deployed troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone that separated forces on the Golan Heights since 1974. The country maintains it will keep troops in a "security zone" in southern Syria while seeking a broader demilitarized area.
