Israel and Syria agree ceasefire as Israel allows Syrian troops limited access to Sweida
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Israel and Syria agree ceasefire as Israel allows Syrian troops limited access to Sweida
Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, the U.S. envoy to Turkey said on Friday. Ceasefire comes after days of bloodshed in the predominantly Druze area that has killed over 300 people. Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus and hit government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw. Israel has vowed to shield the area’s Druze community from attack, encouraged by calls from Israel’s own Druze minority.”We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity,” Tom Barrack, the ambassador to Turkey, said in a post on X.X.Rights group: The Network for Human Rights said it had documented 321 deaths in fighting since Sunday, among them medical personnel, including women and children. The White House said on Thursday that it appeared to be holding the earlier truce between government forces and Druze fighters, and that it was supported by Turkey, Jordan and neighbors. The Israeli embassy in Washington and Syrian consulate in Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Item 1 of 3 Syrian security forces walk together along a street, after clashes between Syrian government troops and local Druze fighters resumed in the southern Druze city of Sweida early on Wednesday, collapsing a ceasefire announced just hours earlier that aimed to put an end to days of deadly sectarian bloodshed, in Sweida, Syria July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Karam al-Masri/File Photo
Summary Ceasefire supported by Turkey, Jordan and neighbors
Syria’s Sweida province rocked by days of violence
Over 300 killed in fighting, human rights group says
Syrian forces to get limited access to Sweida province
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, July 18 (Reuters) – Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, the U.S. envoy to Turkey said on Friday, after days of bloodshed in the predominantly Druze area that has killed over 300 people.
On Wednesday, Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus and hit government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw and saying that Israel aimed to protect Syrian Druze – part of a small but influential minority that also has members in Lebanon and Israel.
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“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity,” Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, said in a post on X.
Barrack said that Israel and Syria agreed to the ceasefire supported by Turkey, Jordan and neighbors.
The Israeli embassy in Washington and Syrian consulate in Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Syria’s Sweida province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and Druze factions.
Earlier on Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area of southern Syria for the next two days.
The Syrian presidency said late on Friday that authorities would deploy a force in the south dedicated to ending the clashes, in coordination with political and security measures to restore stability and prevent the return of violence.
Damascus earlier this week dispatched government troops to quell the fighting, but they were accused of carrying out widespread violations against the Druze and were hit by Israeli strikes before withdrawing under a truce agreed on Wednesday.
Israel had repeatedly said it would not allow Syrian troops to deploy to the country’s south, but on Friday it said it would grant them a brief window to end renewed clashes there.
“In light of the ongoing instability in southwest Syria, Israel has agreed to allow limited entry of the (Syrian) internal security forces into Sweida district for the next 48 hours,” the official, who declined to be named, told reporters.
Describing Syria’s new rulers as barely disguised jihadists, Israel has vowed to shield the area’s Druze community from attack, encouraged by calls from Israel’s own Druze minority.
It carried out more strikes on Sweida in the early hours of Friday.
The U.S. intervened to help secure the earlier truce between government forces and Druze fighters, and the White House said on Thursday that it appeared to be holding.
Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has worked to establish warmer ties with the U.S., accused Israel of trying to fracture Syria and promised to protect its Druze minority.
Reuters reporters saw a convoy of units from Syria’s interior ministry stopped on a road in Daraa province, which lies directly east of Sweida. A security source told Reuters that forces were awaiting a final green light to enter Sweida.
But thousands of Bedouin fighters were still streaming into Sweida on Friday, the Reuters reporters said, prompting fears among residents that violence would continue unabated.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said it had documented 321 deaths in fighting since Sunday, among them medical personnel, women and children. It said they included field executions by all sides.
Syria’s minister for emergencies said more than 500 wounded had been treated and hundreds of families had been evacuated out of the city.
‘NOTHING AT ALL’
Clashes continued in the north and west of Sweida province, according to residents and Ryan Marouf, the head of local news outlet Sweida24.
Residents said they had little food and water, and that electricity had been cut to the city for several days.
“For four days, there has been no electricity, no fuel, no food, no drink, nothing at all,” said Mudar, a 28-year-old resident of Sweida who asked to be identified only by his first name out of fear of reprisals.
“The clashes haven’t stopped,” he said, adding that “we can’t get news easily because there’s barely internet or phone coverage.”
The head of the U.N. human rights office urged Syria’s interim authorities to ensure accountability for what it said are credible reports of widespread rights violations during the fighting, including summary executions and kidnappings, the office said in a statement.
At least 13 people were unlawfully killed in one recorded incident on Tuesday when affiliates of the interim authorities opened fire at a family gathering, the OHCHR said. Six men were summarily executed near their homes the same day.
The UN refugee agency on Friday urged all sides to allow humanitarian access , which it said had been curtailed by the violence.
Israel’s deep distrust of Syria’s new Islamist-led leadership appears to be at odds with the United States, which said it did not support the recent Israeli strikes on Syria.
Reporting by Maya Gebeily in Beirut, Crispian Balmer in Jerusalem, Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva and Ahmed Tolba and Enas Alashray in Cairo, Jasper Ward in Washington; Writing by Andrew Mills, Nayera Abdallah and Don Durfee; Editing by Barbara Lewis, Rachna Uppal, Timothy Heritage and Cynthia Osterman
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Israel will not renew visa of top UN humanitarian official
Israel has declined to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior U.N. aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel has come under mounting criticism from the U.S. during its war in the Palestinian enclave, which has internally displaced Gaza’s entire population. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages. It has prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the international Criminal Court, which Israel denies.
Summary Israel will not extend visa of Jonathan Whittall beyond August, UN says
UN has been critical of Israel during its war in Gaza
Israel has dismissed UN criticism as being biased
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) – Israel has declined to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior U.N. aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories, a U.N. spokesperson said on Friday, adding there were intensifying threats of reduced access to suffering civilians.
Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said visas for U.N. staff were recently renewed for shorter periods than usual and access requests to Gaza were denied for multiple agencies. Kaneko said permits for Palestinian staff to enter East Jerusalem were also withheld.
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WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
Gaza is in the midst of a devastating Israeli military assault following a deadly October 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. Israel has come under mounting criticism from the U.N. during its war in the Palestinian enclave, which has internally displaced Gaza’s entire population and caused a hunger crisis
KEY QUOTES
“Last week, it was indicated to us that our current Head of Office, Jonathan Whittall, won’t have his visa extended by Israeli authorities beyond August. This came immediately after remarks he made at a press briefing about starving people being killed while trying to reach food,” Kaneko said.
Israel’s mission to the U.N. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has previously dismissed U.N. criticism as being biased.
CONTEXT
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show.
Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s subsequent military assault has killed over 58,000 Palestinians. It has also prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.
The U.N. rights office says it recorded nearly 900 killings within the past six weeks near aid distribution sites and aid convoys in Gaza.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Michelle Nichols and Leslie Adler
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Israel and Syria agree ceasefire as Israel allows Syrian troops limited access to Sweida
Syria’s Sweida province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and Druze factions. Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus and hit government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw. US envoy to Turkey: ‘We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity’ The Syrian Network for Human Rights said it had documented 321 deaths in fighting since Sunday, among them medical personnel, women and children. It said they included field executions by all sides. The US intervened to help secure the earlier truce between government forces and Druzen fighters, and the White House said on July 17 that it appeared to be holding. The Syrian presidency said late on July 18 that authorities would deploy a force in the South dedicated to ending the clashes, in coordination with political and security measures to restore stability and prevent the return of violence. Residents said they had little food and water, and that electricity had been cut to the city for several days.
Sweida province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and factions from the Druze.
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM – Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, the US envoy to Turkey said on July 18, after days of bloodshed in the predominantly Druze area that has killed over 300 people.
On July 16, Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus and hit government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw and saying that Israel aimed to protect Syrian Druze – part of a small but influential minority that also has members in Lebanon and Israel.
“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity,” Mr Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, said in a post on X.
Mr Barrack said that Israel and Syria agreed to the ceasefire supported by Turkey, Jordan and neighbours.
The Israeli embassy in Washington and Syrian consulate in Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Syria’s Sweida province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and Druze factions.
Earlier on July 18, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area of southern Syria for the next two days.
The Syrian presidency said late on July 18 that authorities would deploy a force in the south dedicated to ending the clashes, in coordination with political and security measures to restore stability and prevent the return of violence.
Damascus earlier this week dispatched government troops to quell the fighting, but they were accused of carrying out widespread violations against the Druze and were hit by Israeli strikes before withdrawing under a truce agreed on July 16.
Israel had repeatedly said it would not allow Syrian troops to deploy to the country’s south, but on July 18 it said it would grant them a brief window to end renewed clashes there.
“In light of the ongoing instability in southwest Syria, Israel has agreed to allow limited entry of the (Syrian) internal security forces into Sweida district for the next 48 hours,” the official, who declined to be named, told reporters.
Describing Syria’s new rulers as barely disguised jihadists, Israel has vowed to shield the area’s Druze community from attack, encouraged by calls from Israel’s own Druze minority.
It carried out more strikes on Sweida in the early hours of July 18.
The US intervened to help secure the earlier truce between government forces and Druze fighters, and the White House said on July 17 that it appeared to be holding.
Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has worked to establish warmer ties with the US, accused Israel of trying to fracture Syria and promised to protect its Druze minority.
Reuters reporters saw a convoy of units from Syria’s interior ministry stopped on a road in Daraa province, which lies directly east of Sweida. A security source told Reuters that forces were awaiting a final green light to enter Sweida.
But thousands of Bedouin fighters were still streaming into Sweida on Friday, the Reuters reporters said, prompting fears among residents that violence would continue unabated.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said it had documented 321 deaths in fighting since Sunday, among them medical personnel, women and children. It said they included field executions by all sides.
Syria’s minister for emergencies said more than 500 wounded had been treated and hundreds of families had been evacuated out of the city.
‘Nothing at all’
Clashes continued in the north and west of Sweida province, according to residents and Ryan Marouf, the head of local news outlet Sweida24.
Residents said they had little food and water, and that electricity had been cut to the city for several days.
“For four days, there has been no electricity, no fuel, no food, no drink, nothing at all,” said Mudar, a 28-year-old resident of Sweida who asked to be identified only by his first name out of fear of reprisals.
“The clashes haven’t stopped,” he said, adding that “we can’t get news easily because there’s barely internet or phone coverage.”
The head of the UN human rights office urged Syria’s interim authorities to ensure accountability for what it said are credible reports of widespread rights violations during the fighting, including summary executions and kidnappings, the office said in a statement.
At least 13 people were unlawfully killed in one recorded incident on July 15 when affiliates of the interim authorities opened fire at a family gathering, the OHCHR said.
Six men were summarily executed near their homes the same day. The UN refugee agency on Friday urged all sides to allow humanitarian access, which it said had been curtailed by the violence. Israel’s deep distrust of Syria’s new Islamist-led leadership appears to be at odds with the United States, which said it did not support the recent Israeli strikes on Syria. REUTERS
Trump says more hostages to be released from Gaza shortly
U.S. President Donald Trump says another 10 hostages will be released from Gaza shortly. Trump made the comment during a dinner with lawmakers at the White House. Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been taking part in the latest round of ceasefire talks. The truce proposal calls for 10 hostages held in Gaza to be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. In exchange, Israel would release a number of detained Palestinians.
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) – Another 10 hostages will be released from Gaza shortly, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday, without providing additional details.
Trump made the comment during a dinner with lawmakers at the White House, lauding the efforts of his special envoy Steve Witkoff. Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been taking part in the latest round of ceasefire talks in Doha since July 6, discussing a U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire.
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“We got most of the hostages back. We’re going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly,” Trump said.
Trump has been predicting for weeks that a ceasefire and hostage-release deal was imminent, but agreement has proven elusive.
A spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, on Friday said the group favors reaching an interim truce in the Gaza war , but could revert to insisting on a full package deal if such an agreement is not reached in current negotiations.
The truce proposal calls for 10 hostages held in Gaza to be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. In exchange, Israel would release a number of detained Palestinians.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies.
Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Leslie Adler and Himani Sarkar
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Israel and Syria agree to ceasefire after days of violence
Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, the US envoy to Turkey says. The US intervened to help secure the earlier truce between government forces and Druze fighters. Syria’s Sweida province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence. The violence has been triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and. Druze factions. More than 300 people have been killed in fighting since Sunday, among them medical personnel, women and children, a human rights group said. The UN human rights office urged Syria’s interim authorities to ensure accountability for what it said are credible reports of widespread rights violations during the fighting, including summary executions and kidnappings. The Syrian presidency late on Friday said authorities would deploy a force in the south dedicated to ending the clashes, in coordination with political and security measures.
Sweida province has been engulfed by violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and Druze factions.
The US intervened to help secure the earlier truce between government forces and Druze fighters.
Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, the US envoy to Turkey says, after days of bloodshed in the predominantly Druze area that has killed more than 300 people.
On Wednesday, Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus and hit government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw and saying that Israel aimed to protect Syrian Druze — part of a small but influential minority that also has members in Lebanon and Israel.
“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity,” Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, said on X.
The Israeli embassy in Washington and Syrian consulate in Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Days of violence
Syria’s Sweida province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and Druze factions.
Earlier on Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area of southern Syria for the next two days.
The Syrian presidency late on Friday said authorities would deploy a force in the south dedicated to ending the clashes, in coordination with political and security measures to restore stability and prevent the return of violence.
READ MORE What we know about Israel’s strikes on Syria this week
The US intervened to help secure the earlier truce between government forces and Druze fighters, and the White House said on Thursday that it appeared to be holding.
Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has worked to establish warmer ties with the US, accused Israel of trying to fracture Syria and promised to protect its Druze minority.
Reuters reporters saw a convoy of units from Syria’s interior ministry stopped on a road in Daraa province, which lies directly east of Sweida. A security source told Reuters that forces were awaiting a final green light to enter Sweida.
But thousands of Bedouin fighters were still streaming into Sweida on Friday, the Reuters reporters said, prompting fears among residents that violence would continue unabated.
LISTEN TO Syria government and Druze minority leaders announce new ceasefire as Israel continues strikes SBS News 17/07/2025 04:50 English
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said it had documented 321 deaths in fighting since Sunday, among them medical personnel, women and children. It said they included field executions by all sides.
Syria’s minister for emergencies said more than 500 wounded had been treated and hundreds of families had been evacuated out of the city.
Clashes continued in the north and west of Sweida province, according to residents and Ryan Marouf, the head of local news outlet Sweida24.
Residents said they had little food and water, and that electricity had been cut to the city for several days.
The head of the UN human rights office urged Syria’s interim authorities to ensure accountability for what it said are credible reports of widespread rights violations during the fighting, including summary executions and kidnappings, the office said in a statement.
At least 13 people were unlawfully killed in one recorded incident on Tuesday when affiliates of the interim authorities opened fire at a family gathering, the OHCHR said. Six men were summarily executed near their homes the same day.
The UN refugee agency on Friday urged all sides to allow humanitarian access, which it said had been curtailed by the violence.