Israeli occupation forces detained four young men from the same family in the al-Hafayer area of northern Quneitra in southern Syria, releasing one of them while the fate of the remaining three remains unknown.

According to Syria’s SANA news agency, the men had been working on Saturday to rehabilitate and repair a farm that had been damaged by Israeli forces. On their way back, they were stopped at an Israeli checkpoint and abducted.

Moreover, an Israeli occupation force patrol infiltrated the al-'Afjraf village in the central Quneitra countryside, setting up a checkpoint and conducting searches of passersby.

The incident comes amid continued Israeli violations inside Syrian territory, particularly in the south, where occupation forces carry out incursions and set up checkpoints.

On November 13, an Israeli unit made up of three SUVs entered the villages of Saisoun and al-Masritiya in western Daraa’s countryside and searched open agricultural areas before eventually pulling back.

Separately, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that an Israeli patrol moved into the outskirts of Kodneh village in central Quneitra, remained in the area for a period of time, and then withdrew.

On November 12, an Israeli tank fired two shells from the occupied side toward areas near the villages of Abidin and Kuya in the Yarmouk Basin of western Daraa, without causing casualties or property damage.

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Since the collapse of the old regime in December 2024, Israeli forces have repeatedly breached Syrian sovereignty by advancing into areas of Quneitra and the demilitarized zone adjacent to the occupied Golan Heights.

Reports note dozens of ground incursions and the establishment of temporary checkpoints where civilians are subject to identity checks, vehicle inspections, and arbitrary detentions. 

Beyond the surface incursions, human rights organizations report systemic abuses in areas under occupation or heavy Israeli military presence.

Displacement, home demolitions, denied access to property

According to various rights groups, Israeli forces have engaged in forced displacement of Syrian villagers, demolition of homes, denial of access to property and livelihoods, as well as arbitrary detention and forced transfer of civilians into "Israel", acts that constitute war crimes under international law. These actions appear particularly pronounced in the buffer zone south of the Golan Heights, where the local population lives under sustained pressure and in a context of effective impunity.

The aerial dimension of the violations is also substantial. Since the regime’s fall, Israeli airstrikes have targeted Syrian military infrastructure, arms depots, and key installations, thereby undermining the country’s defensive capability and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Syrian authorities have repeatedly condemned these attacks, calling them coordinated efforts to destabilize the region.

The UN-mandated peacekeeping force operating in the area has warned that Israeli military activity within the area of separation risks escalating tensions and endangering civilians. Despite these warnings, the violations have continued, raising concerns over the lack of international accountability and the long-term implications for regional stability.

Israeli officials assert 'Israel' will not withdraw from Syria

Furthermore, Israeli officials have repeatedly asserted that "Israel" will not withdraw from Syria, despite its actions being clear violations of international laws and statutes.

On November 16, Katz reiterated that Israeli occupation forces will continue to hold the summit of Mount Hermon in Syria and remain stationed on the Syrian-controlled side of the demilitarized zone in the country’s south. He stressed that maintaining this deployment is “essential” for protecting Israeli interests in the occupied Golan and al-Jalil, adding that it will not be given up under any future agreement with Damascus.

Mirroring Katz’s position, Education Minister and security cabinet member Yoav Kish cautioned against giving up frontline Israeli positions he characterized as essential “early-warning” sites, arguing that these posts “cannot be abandoned” because they play a central role in detecting and deterring northern threats.