Syria: Israel Forcibly Displaces Villagers in Occupied South

• Israeli forces inhabiting parts of southerly Syria since December 2024 have actually executed a variety of abuses against residents, consisting of compelled displacement, which is a war crime.
• Various other misuses consist of homes seizures and demolitions, denial of accessibility to incomes and illegal transfer of Syrian detainees to Israel.
• Governments must put on hold any army support to Israel that could promote human rights misuses and violations of global regulation in southerly Syria and enforce targeted assents on authorities responsible for abuses.

(Beirut)– Israeli pressures occupying parts of southerly Syria considering that December 2024 have actually executed a range of misuses against residents, including required variation, which is a battle criminal activity, Human Rights Watch claimed today. Israeli forces have seized and demolished homes, obstructed homeowners from their residential property and resources, and arbitrarily detained locals and transferred them to Israel.

Because the former Syrian government’s collapse in December 2024, Israel has pressed deep into the UN-monitored demilitarized area dividing the Golan Heights– Syrian region which Israel has inhabited given that 1967– from the part of Quneitra governorate that stayed under Syrian control, and swiftly established 9 armed forces messages stretching from Mount Hermon via Quneitra city to parts of western Daraa. It has actually also magnified airstrikes on armed forces facilities. Since February, authorities have actually continuously claimed they intend to “completely demilitarize” southern Syria, and, on numerous occasions , stated that pressures will stay indefinitely in the newly seized territory. Recent media records of fresh Israeli ground incursions into Quneitra town and escalated overflights throughout Quneitra and Daraa, highlight that operations in southerly Syria are continuous. Israel has disallowed 10s of countless displaced Syrians from going back to the Golan since 1967

“Israel’s military forces operating in Syria needs to not have a freedom to take homes, demolish them, and drive families out,” claimed Hiba Zayadin , elderly Syria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Israel’s current activities in southerly Syria are not legitimate acts of army necessity, yet pages out of the playbook made use of in the busy Palestinian area and various other components of the area, removing homeowners of basic rights and freedoms.”

In Between June and September 2025, Human Rights See spoken with eight local citizens, consisting of 5 locals of al-Hamidiya village whose homes were demolished, a protestor and attorney that was quickly detained by Israeli forces, a community leader, and one resident of Jubata al-Khashab village, eight kilometers away, where Israeli forces have actually protected against homeowners from accessing their farming lands. Scientists examined photos and videos sent by interviewees and examined satellite images to corroborate accounts, develop when and where armed forces installations were developed, and gauge the degree of areas torn down or knocked down.

Human Rights Watch likewise spoke with loved ones and witnesses to the apprehension of seven Syrians since December 2024 and one youngster previously in April 2024, that was 17 years of ages at the time. All eight individuals were transferred to Israel, where witnesses and loved ones state they stay had incommunicado without cost. Civil rights Watch wrote to the Israeli Protection Forces on September 3, 2025, outlining its searchings for and asking about detainees. A written feedback was received on September 8, in which the Israeli armed forces specified that it is running in southerly Syria “to secure the citizens of the State of Israel.” Relevant components of the feedback are reflected where applicable in this news release.

In al-Hamidiya, in the UN-monitored demilitarized zone along the “line of splitting up” with the Israeli-occupied Golan Levels, Israeli forces destroyed at the very least 12 buildings on June 16, displacing 8 family members from their homes. Soldiers removed the households in December 2024, the day Bashar al-Assad’s federal government in Syria dropped and later on informed them the expulsions and demolitions were needed due to a freshly established military installment nearby.

“Our residence was closest to the army blog post, so it was first to be destroyed,” stated one resident. “The land bordering it, which we had grown with trees, was entirely bulldozed along with the house. Absolutely nothing was left. we have actually been living under incredibly tough problems since we shed our home and land.”

In Jubata al-Khashab, Israeli forces constructed an additional army installation and started getting rid of huge swaths of land, including a woodland get greater than a century old. Residents reported that Israeli forces rejected them access to their farming land and grazing fields near the installment.

Satellite imagery evaluated by Civil rights Watch confirmed that building of both military installations began in early January 2025 much less than one kilometer north of the edges of the highly regarded villages.

International altruistic law , under article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention, restricts the forced variation of civilians in occupied region except as a procedure of last hope, and only if important military reasons require it or if it is essential for the protection of the private populace itself. A lawful emptying must also abide by stringent step-by-step and altruistic safeguards: civilians need to be relocated humanely, to ample holiday accommodation, with arrangement for their safety, well-being, and return as quickly as hostilities allow. Unjustified forced variation in occupied territory is a battle criminal offense. Israel is also forbidden from moving detainees outside the busy region into Israel, no matter allegations. Damage of noncombatant property is similarly restricted unless absolutely needed by continuous military procedures, meaning it has to be directly connected to and strictly needed by energetic combat, not warranted by long-term calculated or security considerations.

The Israeli military asserted that its activities are “according to worldwide regulation,” that the al-Hamidiya demolitions were “needed functional” procedures with “no civilians … staying in the structures,” which apprehensions and transfers to Israel were intelligence-based and based on judicial review. However, Israel’s recorded actions in southern Syria went against the regulations of battle

In al-Hamidiya, there was no discharge plan; soldiers stormed the area and literally got rid of locals without any setup for their safety and security, sanctuary, or return. There were additionally no energetic hostilities in the area during the expulsions, the construction of military installations, home demolitions, or considering that.

Instead of replying to a prompt danger, Israeli pressures show up to have actually gotten rid of and destroyed homes as part of a wider method to lodge their army visibility. Even if authorities’ referrals to an indefinite presence do not alone prove intent to permanently displace, the demolitions, building of taken care of armed forces infrastructure, and continuing accessibility restrictions make near-term return effectively difficult and undercut any case that the displacement is purely short-lived.

The Israeli army letter did not specifically address its activities in Jubata al-Khashab or the April 2024 apprehension of a 17 -year-old from the village, and offered no detention areas, or info on accessibility to counsel or household for any of the 7 other detainees whose instances Civils rights See documented.

Governments ought to put on hold armed forces assistance to Israel as long its forces continue to commit extensive, significant misuses, including war criminal activities , with impunity. Federal governments should likewise assess and, where appropriate, put on hold bilateral participation and ban profession with negotiations, consisting of in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

The United States, EU, UK, and others ought to promote accountability through universal-jurisdiction situations and assistance for the International Bad Guy Court (ICC) proceedings. They must additionally enforce targeted permissions versus Israeli officials in charge of ongoing major offenses of international humanitarian legislation , consisting of obstructing displaced Syrians’ return, and keep them up until proven steps enable risk-free, voluntary, and sensible return, Civil rights Watch claimed.

“The inactiveness of other federal governments in feedback to Israel’s unlawful conduct across the region is permitting it to apply its repressive strategies with immunity,” Zayadin said. “The global neighborhood must act currently to put on hold army assistance, impose targeted actions, and back liability, consisting of at the ICC.”

Displacement, Home Demolitions in al-Hamidiya

Israeli forces went into al-Hamidiya village on December 8, 2024, the day former head of state Bashar al-Assad was ousted. “They entered our village riding on 2 [armored vehicles], they aimed their tools at us and screamed in Hebrew, a language we could not comprehend,” stated one displaced homeowner. “Out of fear, I left the house with my children, we really did not even take any type of clothes with us. We left whatever behind.”

One more woman stated that Israeli soldiers invaded her home that day: “They arrived in containers, heavily armed, lugging big knapsacks, and stormed right into our home. It was clear from their habits that they meant to remain.” The soldiers aimed their weapons at her and her 2 daughters, while compeling her other half and kid right into a separate space at gunpoint. “My little girls and I were held like that from 11: 00 a.m. to 3: 00 p.m. My other half and son weren’t launched till 11: 00 p.m. that evening. The soldiers sat in our living room, chuckling and speaking a language we didn’t comprehend, as if it was their home.”

At some point, the family members was purchased to leave without being allowed to take any kind of belongings. “Since then, we’ve been living in one little space in my moms and dads’ house [in al-Hamidiya],” she stated. The family members has resided in these jammed problems ever since. “Israeli forces came back to the town periodically. We kept asking to return or a minimum of accumulate our points, however they always stated no ‘for safety factors’ or that they would ‘assess our request.'”

An additional local additionally described being forced out of his home at gunpoint by Israeli pressures that day. His family also had not been allowed to take anything with them. “Simply the clothing we were putting on,” he claimed. He took shelter with family members in a nearby village, while various other member of the family stayed with family members in other places in al-Hamidiya, he said. “For 6 months, we attempted to work out with the Israeli forces to either return to our homes or a minimum of fetch our furniture. Their reaction was constantly: ‘We’re examining the matter,’ with no real activity taken.”

One lady stated that her family members was amongst the few permitted to briefly return to their homes in February and retrieve what continued to be. “When I got there,” she said, “the house was in disorder. Lots of products had actually been taken. The only points left were my refrigerator and washing maker.”

Satellite images collected over al-Hamidiya confirms that the building and construction of the army installment, less than 500 meters northeast of the village, started after January 1, 2025

On the night of June 16, Israeli excavators got in the north edge of al-Hamidiya. “From 9: 30 p.m. up until 5: 00 a.m., they flattened the area completely,” a local claimed. They left no structures, absolutely nothing, leveled every little thing to the ground. By morning, people found absolutely nothing left.”

One lady and her kids, who initially nestled with family members and later on remained in an uninhabited home offered by another family in al-Hamidiya village, explained what it felt like to see them demolish her home that evening: “I still had hope that I would quickly return. “On a daily basis, I looked at my house from a range and cried, desiring for going back. After that one night, at night, I saw and listened to the excavators damaging my dream. I cried all evening, defenseless, not able to quit them or do anything.”

Her home, which she stated her family members had rebuilt in 2018 after it was shelled and destroyed during the Syrian war, had four rooms and a large yard filled with grapevines. The Israeli military even uprooted the vines, she stated.

“When we returned in 2018, I had to rebuild it, block by block,” she stated. “We cut back on all our expenses, even food, and needed to borrow cash from loved ones just to reconstruct your home, because we could not pay for to rent. We needed to purchase everything once more, the cleaning machine, fridge, TELEVISION, and sofa, all from the ground up. And currently, once again, I have to begin with absolutely nothing.”

All five family members talked to are momentarily living with relatives either elsewhere in al-Hamidiya or in neighboring towns. “I am currently staying in a solitary area with my parents’ family,” one person said. “My initial home was two tales, and currently we’re residing in just one area. I have a partner and three kids.”

Civil Rights Watch, via analysis of satellite imagery, validated the devastation of at least 12 buildings much less than 250 meters west of a freshly established Israeli army setup.

Reduced resolution satellite imagery captured on June 16 at 11: 46 a.m. regional time over al-Hamidiya reveals no indicator of damages. Twenty-four hours later on, an image caught on June 17 at 11: 38 a.m. local time shows a collection of damaged buildings on the northern edge of the town.

Cutting off Accessibility to Livelihoods and Destruction of Trees in Jubata al-Khashab

Displaced residents from Jubata al-Khashab described being cut off from the farming lands and natural deposits that maintained their families and neighborhoods. They claimed that Israeli forces either bulldozed or partitioned farmland, grazing locations, and tree groves. “The land bordering [our house], which we had planted with trees, was totally bulldozed together with your house,” one woman claimed. “Nothing is left.”

“We own farming land with a complete area of 50 dunams [5 hectares],” one more claimed. “Component of it was cultivated with wheat or barley, while the other component was used for grazing sheep.” She claimed that Israeli pressures built a high earthen berm that cut off accessibility to the entire plot, placing it under full army control.

One resident stated his family had been barred from lands that had actually made up fifty percent of their yearly income. “Among them: an area of about 750 square meters is currently component of the recently established armed forces installation established by the Israeli opponent on our land; one dunam [1000 square meters] of land situated in front of our house; and the house yard, which also covers a location of one dunam,” he claimed. These areas had actually been grown with fruit-bearing trees like olives and cherries, in addition to wheat and barley. “They were a primary income for us and our family members.”

One more claimed that Israeli forces barred individuals from grazing their herds on farming land and had actually confiscated big areas of those lands. “Many homeowners were compelled to market their lamb as a result of the lack of grazing areas,” she stated. “As for me, the trees on my land were uprooted, and my residence was destroyed. I am now entirely prohibited from accessing the building, approximately one dunam.”

Satellite imagery gathered over Jubata al-Khashab confirms that the building and construction of the army installment, less than a kilometer northwest of the village, started after January 1

Given that construction began, the installation established adjacent to the woodland has actually resulted in taking down dozens, if not hundreds, of trees. Since June, greater than 45 hectares, approximately 25 percent of the Jubata al-Khashab’s forest, located north of the village, have been totally gotten rid of.

Israeli forces entered Jubata al-Khashab on December 15, soon after their incursion right into other parts of Quneitra governorate, a neighborhood leader claimed: “They developed armed forces units on the lands of Jubata al-Khashab and began removing trees from the woodland reserve.” He claimed that Israeli pressures had taken down fruit-bearing trees planted by the Quneitra community in the 1990 s and declared the trees blocked army presence and postured a potential safety and security risk.

Another forested location west of Jubata al-Khashab likewise reveals clear indicators of tearing down given that construction of the military installment started, with the degree of deforestation increasing significantly given that very early June.

At least one third of the forest has actually been completely destroyed. Citizens were shown a map outlining the areas slated for clearance just after 10 dunams (1 hectare) of fruit trees had already been uprooted, the area leader said.

He also claimed that numerous citizens have actually been refuted access to their agricultural land and grazing fields. “For me personally, I have around 300 dunams [30 hectares] of land, which I have actually been stopped from accessing,” he said, noting that concerning a 3rd had actually been cultivated with grain and the rest used for grazing lamb and cattle. One more 7, 000 dunams (700 hectares) of community-owned lands, planted with olives, apples, and cherries, have actually likewise been partitioned with barbed cord or soaked up right into armed forces zones, he said. He kept in mind that the financial effect has actually been extreme: “Virtually half of the farmers’ revenue was lost when they were removed from their lands,” he said. “None of this damage has actually been made up or addressed.”

Another village local said: “My town, Jubata al-Khashab, and surrounding areas have seen considerable bulldozing of farmland [by Israeli forces], including orchards filled with fruit-bearing trees such as apples, cherries, apricots, and olives, many of which mored than 30 years old.” In May, Israeli forces bulldozed his ranch story, along with olive trees over 25 years of ages, and took 1 hectare of his land.

In conferences with community agents, the community leader stated that Israeli police officers mentioned the absence of Syrian state authority and threats of seepage as reason for occupying private areas and looking homes for weapons in villages near the splitting up line. Israeli officials, they stated, also conjured up advancements in Gaza to validate these actions, even as Human Rights See has located that Israel’s conduct there totals up to the crime versus humanity of extermination and acts of genocide.

None of the citizens talked to reported receiving any type of payment or remedy, or breakthrough notice or plans for safe lodging.

The devastation of homes and farmland and limitations on access to land and water violate the rights of safeguarded people and can total up to unlawful collective penalty and rejection of source of income, underscoring Israel’s failure to meet its responsibilities towards the civilian populace under line of work.

Detentions and Compelled Transfer to Israel

Israeli pressures have additionally arbitrarily detained numerous Syrians in southern Syria, a few of whom have been transferred to Israel and are being held without charge, witnesses claimed.

On June 12, at approximately 2: 30 a.m., Israeli forces robbed the town of Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside, three kilometers west of the disengagement line. They arrested 7 guys and killed one male with a cognitive handicap, stated two town homeowners and loved ones of the detainees, that supplied their names and ages. The 7 detainees are: Ahmad Hussein al-Safadi (birthed 1991, Mohammad Hussein al-Safadi (born 1986, Hossam Mohammad al-Safadi (born 1994, Amer Mohammad al-Badawi (birthed 1984, Mohammad Badi’ Hamadeh (birthed 1992, Ali Qassem Hamadeh (born 1982, Ma’moun Mohammad al-Saadi (born1983

The bro of one detainee claimed he got a call from his brother’s partner around 2: 45 a.m., telling him that Israeli pressures had raided your home and jailed his bro, Amer al-Badawi, 41, that has 4 children. The loved one claimed he immediately drove to his sibling’s close-by home, yet that Israeli pressures obstructed him, directed their weapons at him, required him to the ground, and seized his phone. When his kid showed up shortly afterward, the Israeli pressures treated him in a similar way.

“The entire procedure was abrupt and frightening, especially for the kids and ladies,” the loved one stated, saying that Israeli pressures let loose police pet dogs on the ladies and used stun explosives and live ammo, causing extensive panic. When the male with the cognitive special needs “saw the soldiers, he shouted, ‘Allahu Akbar, the burglars have actually come!’ and they quickly shot him 6 times and killed him on the spot.”

A 2nd local, a relative of three guys apprehended that night, verified the occasions. He claimed that Israeli forces that stormed the town consisted of over 100 soldiers, backed by armored vehicles, military machinery, and cops pet dogs, and that 3 of the guys detained were his cousins.

The Israeli armed force has declared that the guys arrested come from the Palestinian armed team Hamas which its nighttime operation, “based on intelligence gathered in current weeks,” led to the arrest of “a number of Hamas terrorists” planning “multiple terror stories” against Israeli private citizens and Israeli troops in Syria. It said that it had actually transferred the detainees right into Israel for further examination. Asked whether anybody was eliminated in its raid, the Israeli army informed Reuters that shots were terminated and “a hit was recognized” when one of the suspects tried to run away; in a succeeding letter to Civil rights Watch, it claimed the suspect came close to the pressures in a way that threatened their safety and was shot dead.

Speaking to Reuters , a spokesperson from Syria’s Interior Ministry opposed the case that the males jailed were members of Hamas stating that they were private citizens from the area.

“Previously, we don’t recognize where my sibling is or what fees he is dealing with,” said the sibling of among the men, insisting that the men have no political connections. “No one recognizes where they are being held, and there is still no other way to call them inside Israeli region,” He claimed that the males are “farmers and guards, and a lot of them are illiterate.”

Mohammad Fayyad, a Syrian lobbyist and lawyer from Quneitra, said that Israeli pressures have actually arrested more than 20 individuals since December. The majority of have actually since been released. He stated he was quickly apprehended on January 7 in the village of al-Hamidiya as he and a French journalist, Sylvain Mercadier, were covering the Israeli attack, using press vests.

“We were taken to the Governorate Structure in Quneitra,” he said, where Israeli forces had set up a visibility. “My eyes were blindfolded, and our devices were searched and ruined.” He said they were wrongly charged of having links to Hezbollah. After 14 hours, both guys were launched without charge.

One local of Jubata al-Khashab said that Israeli pressures jailed his 17 -year-old child on April 25, 2024, while he was dealing with his family members’s farmland inside the UN-monitored buffer area. The kid was carrying a UN-issued authorization card, which grants farmers and guards accessibility to land near the demarcation line. Israeli forces transferred him to the adolescent section of Ofer jail in the occupied West Financial institution, where he has been held under administrative detention, without charge and incommunicado.

The family members has actually had no straight call with him given that his apprehension, his papa stated. He stated that the International Board of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the only organization to have seen him since his arrest, validating his location which his wellness is secure.

Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, detention of a kid is a last resource for the shortest suitable period, and every detained youngster has to have punctual accessibility to legal support and routine call with family, other than in exceptional conditions.