Syrians march across provinces after strike kills disabled man in Daraa
Protests erupted in Damascus and Homs following the death of Moaz and continued Israeli military expansion in the south.
By Amanda Valdez ·
Protesters in Syria took to the streets on Friday to demand a response to escalating military activity in the country's southern regions. The rallies were triggered by an Israeli incursion earlier this week that killed a man with a disability, an event that galvanized public anger across multiple cities.
State media reported large crowds gathering in the capital, Damascus, and in Homs, located in central Syria. Participants in these demonstrations criticized repeated Israeli operations in the provinces of Quneitra and Daraa. In the city of Daraa, an AFP correspondent observed hundreds of attendees at a local rally, some waving Syrian flags.
Taysir al-Hariri, a protester present at the gathering, stated that the crowd aimed to send a message to the world. He said Syria stands united against Israeli incursions and against any entity tempted to interfere with national security. State television footage showed marchers holding posters with the slogan "We are all Moaz," referencing the disabled man killed by Israeli fire a day prior.
Outside a United Nations building in Damascus, the family of a Syrian man detained by Israel called for his release. Their children held up signs reading "I want my dad" during the demonstration. The family's presence highlighted the personal toll of the ongoing cross-border tensions on local communities.
Israeli forces advanced into parts of Quneitra province on Friday, blocking several roads in the process. Military units bulldozed olive groves, established checkpoints, and detained residents in the affected area. These actions mark a continuation of frequent incursions and hundreds of strikes conducted since the new Syrian government took power in December 2024.
The new administration assumed control after the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. Since then, Israel has maintained troops in a buffer zone on the Golan Heights, an area previously patrolled by the UN since 1974. Israeli officials have vowed to keep forces in a security zone in southern Syria while seeking a wider demilitarized area.
Source: Middle East Eye
