MWE Correspondent
Amid rising tensions in southern Syria and a spate of deadly airstrikes, both Israel and Syrian interim authorities have agreed to a temporary ceasefire, brokered with the assistance of Turkey, Jordan, and other regional neighbors.
The announcement was made by Tom Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria. In a social media post shared via his verified Twitter/X account, Barrack revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa had agreed to halt hostilities following mounting casualties in the southern governorate of Sweida.
“We urge the Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to lay down their weapons and work together with other minority groups to create a renewed Syrian identity,” Barrack wrote.
The latest bout of violence erupted earlier this week when Israeli forces launched a series of airstrikes in and around Damascus, citing the need to protect the vulnerable Druze minority. These strikes reportedly targeted military positions held by pro-government forces in southern Syria, escalating already tense intercommunal fighting.
Eyewitnesses and humanitarian organizations report that at least 300 people, including civilians, have died in the conflict, with dozens reportedly executed in brutal sectarian attacks. The violence has also displaced over 80,000 residents, most of whom have fled from Sweida—a long-standing Druze enclave in Syria.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Syrian government troops are being temporarily allowed into parts of Sweida to provide stability and facilitate humanitarian access. While Israel claims its operations were defensive, the United States has clarified that it did not directly support the airstrikes but continues to advocate for diplomacy and the protection of minorities.
This truce is the first formal agreement between Israeli and Syrian authorities since the renewed escalation began, marking a rare moment of cooperation between two nations that technically remain in a state of war since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and later Yom Kippur War.
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The Syrian interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, praised the ceasefire and called upon the country’s various ethnic and religious groups to put aside their differences. “We are committed to building a new, inclusive Syria, where no group feels left behind,” he said in a televised address from Damascus.
This appeal comes at a time when sectarian divisions have deeply fractured Syrian society, especially after more than a decade of civil war that began in 2011. The involvement of Druze, Sunni, Bedouin, and other communities in localized clashes has only made reconciliation more difficult.
Despite the ceasefire, observers warn that tensions remain high. Isolated clashes continue in rural pockets, and aid organizations are struggling to access cut-off regions due to ongoing insecurity. Meanwhile, efforts by Turkey, Jordan, and the United Nations to deliver aid and support dialogue are continuing behind the scenes.
This latest development offers a glimmer of hope in a region long plagued by violence and mistrust. Whether the truce will hold—and lead to more lasting peace—remains uncertain.
