The key facts

  • Deputy UN Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone condemned the killing of a disabled Syrian man in Jamla (Deraa province) and called on Israel to respect Syria's sovereignty and international law.
  • The victim was Muaz Salama al-Bair; according to a relative, he had a hearing impairment and could not respond to orders to stop.
  • The Israeli army said it opened fire after the man approached and failed to heed warnings; the incident is under review.

Condemnation from the UN

Deputy UN Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone on Thursday condemned the killing of a Syrian civilian with a disability by Israeli forces in the southern province of Deraa. In a statement posted on X, he expressed condolences to the victim's family and said: 'I condemn the killing of a young Syrian civilian with a disability by Israeli forces in Jamla, Deraa. My deepest condolences to the family. Israel must fully respect Syria's sovereignty, its territorial integrity and international law.'

Circumstances of the Death

According to Anadolu, the victim — Muaz Salama al-Bair — was shot dead on Thursday during an Israeli military operation in the village of Jamla in the western part of Deraa province. A relative of the victim told the agency that al-Bair had a hearing impairment and could not respond to orders from Israeli soldiers to stop. The Israeli army, for its part, said that soldiers opened fire after the man approached them and failed to heed warnings, adding that the incident is under review.

Context of Israeli Operations in Southern Syria

The killing took place against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Syria, particularly in the provinces of Quneitra and Deraa. Earlier this week, Syrian media reported that Israeli forces entered villages in Quneitra province, searched a house and carried out military activity near civilian areas. After the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024, Israel expanded its military presence in southern Syria, including occupying the UN-monitored buffer zone established under the 1974 disengagement agreement. Damascus has repeatedly condemned Israeli operations as violations of sovereignty and demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory.