Attachments
Escalating Israeli offensives is harming civilians, compounding suffering, and impeding recovery efforts in Syria. On 3 April, the Israeli military reportedly launched airstrikes across the country, targeting multiple locations across Dar’a, Hama, Homs Quneitra, and Damascus. One of the deadliest incidents occurred in southern Dara’a province, where nine civilians were killed and several others injured, underscoring the growing toll on the civilian population.
Israel’s attacks in densely populated areas in Syria have killed and injured civilians, and may amount to breaches of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Further, Israel’s actions in Syria are directly undermining humanitarian activities and efforts toward recovery, reconstruction, and stabilization at a critical juncture for Syrians.
While Israeli strikes in Syria have occurred intermittently for over a decade, their frequency and scale have notably increased in recent months, including through the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Additionally, according to the UN Special Envoy and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Israel’s incursion further into Syrian territory constitutes a clear breach of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria—which established ceasefire lines and buffer zones monitored by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)—and violates core principles of the UN Charter.
Syria has faced years of conflict, mass displacement, economic devastation, and immense human suffering, with its people continuing to shoulder the heaviest burden. This wave of attacks forms part of a broader pattern of incursion and occupation that continue to destabilize Syria and the wider region.
We urge all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and necessity. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times.
We call on the international community to take immediate, coordinated action to prevent further escalation, ensure accountability for violations, and secure a permanent cessation of violence. Any path toward peace must be rooted in international law and driven by a commitment to protect civilians.