UN Urges Israel & Syria to Uphold Ceasefire Amid Escalating Violence

Escalating Violence in Syria

• ⚠️ Mutual kidnappings in Syria's Sweida governorate escalated into armed clashes between Bedouin tribes and local Druze armed groups on July 12th.
• 🚨 Syrian authorities deployed security forces to restore order, but these forces were attacked, resulting in casualties among security forces, Druze fighters, and civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
• 💔 Reports of extrajudicial executions, desecration of corpses, sectarian incitement, and looting have circulated, fueling intercommunal tensions.
• 🏠 Critical infrastructure, including water, electricity, and telecommunication networks, has been damaged, leading to significant civilian displacement.

Israeli Airstrikes and Regional Stability

• ✈️ Israel resumed and intensified airstrikes on Syrian territory between July 12th and 16th, targeting Damascus authorities' forces, official buildings, and Mazzeh military airport.
• 💥 These strikes are condemned for violating Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, undermining peace efforts, and further destabilizing the region.
• 🤝 The Syrian Ambassador condemned the airstrikes as an extension of occupation policies aimed at undermining Syria's stability.
• 🕊️ Mediation efforts by American, Arab, and Turkish actors helped prevent the region from sliding into open confrontation.

Upholding the 1974 Disengagement Agreement

• ⚖️ Both Israel and Syria are urged to uphold the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement to preserve the ceasefire and stability on the Golan.
• 🛡️ Israel stated its commitment to preserving the southwestern region of Syria as a demilitarized area and preventing terrorist threats along its border.
• 🤝 Hundreds of Druze community members gathered on both sides of the ceasefire line in solidarity, with some crossing into Syria.

Humanitarian Concerns and Political Transition

• 🆘 Medical facilities in Sweida and Daraa are critically strained, operating without power and facing severe supply shortages.
• 🚚 The World Health Organization has dispatched trauma and emergency surgery kits, but delivery to Sweida remains pending due to access constraints.
• 🌍 The UN and humanitarian partners are mobilizing to assess needs and provide assistance as soon as conditions allow.
• 🤝 The UN reiterates its call for an inclusive, Syrian-led political process based on Resolution 2254 to ensure accountability, national healing, and Syria's long-term recovery.