Israel bulldozes Quneitra olive groves as Syria protests death of Moaz

State media reported that Israeli forces advanced into parts of Quneitra province on Friday, blocking roads and bulldozing olive groves. The military presence included new checkpoints and the detention of local residents in the area.

Protesters gathered in the capital, Damascus, and in Homs to denounce the incursions. Footage from state television showed marchers carrying posters with the slogan 'We are all Moaz.' The name refers to a man with special needs whom Syrian authorities said was killed by Israeli fire during an operation in Daraa province.

In Daraa, an AFP correspondent observed hundreds of demonstrators at a rally. Some waved Syrian flags while others held signs. Taysir al-Hariri, a protester, told the agency that the crowd aimed to 'send a message to the world' that the nation remains united against threats to its security.

The military actions follow a pattern of frequent incursions since the new Syrian government took power in December 2024. Israeli forces have conducted hundreds of strikes and entered a UN-patrolled buffer zone near the Golan Heights. That buffer zone had separated the two militaries since 1974.

Outside a United Nations building in Damascus, the family of a man seized by Israel demanded his release. Children in the group held posters reading 'I want my dad.' Israel maintains that it will keep troops in a designated security zone in the south while seeking a wider demilitarized area.

The protests marked a nationwide response to the recent death in Daraa. The rallies occurred one day after the reported killing of the disabled man. The events highlight the continued friction between the two nations in the southern provinces.