HRW accuses Israeli forces of displacing south Syria residents

HRW accuses Israeli forces of displacing south Syria residents
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israeli forces of forcibly displacing residents in southern Syria, calling these actions a war crime, Arab News reported.

Since December 2024, Israeli troops have occupied parts of southern Syria near the Golan Heights, a buffer zone monitored by the UN following the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Israel states its operations aim to protect its citizens and comply with international law. Despite ongoing talks with Syrian authorities, Israel has conducted hundreds of air strikes and incursions deeper into southern Syria.

HRW reported Israeli forces have demolished homes, blocked access to property and livelihoods, arbitrarily detained residents, and transferred detainees to Israel. Syrian state media confirmed recent Israeli raids in the Quneitra province, seizing several individuals suspected of terrorist activity. Meanwhile, Syria is collaborating with the US and Jordan on a roadmap to restore stability in the south after sectarian violence in the Druze-majority Sweida region led to Israeli military intervention. Heavy weapons withdrawals from the south have reportedly begun as part of this process.