Human Rights Watch accuses 'Israel' of committing war crimes in southern Syria

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused 'Israeli' forces of carrying out war crimes in southern Syria, alleging that soldiers have forcibly displaced families, demolished homes, and unlawfully transferred detainees into 'Israel' since December 2024.

The findings, released Tuesday, detail widespread abuses following 'Israel’s' expansion into parts of Quneitra and Daraa after the collapse of the Syrian government late last year. According to HRW, 'Israeli' forces have established at least nine new military posts in the UN-monitored buffer zone along the Golan Heights and are entrenching their presence despite international law prohibitions.

“Israel’s military forces operating in Syria should not have a free hand to seize homes, demolish them, and drive families out,” said Hiba Zayadin, a senior Syria researcher with HRW. “Israel’s recent actions in southern Syria are not legitimate acts of military necessity, but pages out of the playbook used in the occupied Palestinian territory and other parts of the region.”

- Forced displacement and demolitions -

In the village of al-Hamidiya, HRW documented the demolition of at least 12 homes on June 16, displacing eight families. Residents told researchers they had been expelled months earlier, on the same day former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was ousted. Witnesses described being ordered out of their houses at gunpoint and denied access to retrieve their belongings.

One displaced resident said, “Our house was closest to the military post, so it was first to be demolished. The land surrounding it, which we had planted with trees, was completely bulldozed along with the house. Nothing was left.”

Satellite imagery reviewed by HRW confirmed the destruction, showing entire areas razed within a 24-hour period.

In Jubata al-Khashab, 'Israeli' forces reportedly cleared farmland and a century-old forest reserve to build another military installation. Residents say they were cut off from orchards, grazing pastures, and agricultural plots, wiping out livelihoods and forcing families to sell livestock. HRW’s analysis of satellite images showed that nearly a third of the village’s surrounding forest had been destroyed since January.

- Arbitrary detentions and transfers -

HRW also documented the detention of at least eight Syrians, including a 17-year-old boy, who were transferred into 'Israel'. Relatives say the detainees remain incommunicado, without charges or legal access.

In one June 2025 raid on Beit Jinn, 'Israeli' soldiers arrested seven men and shot dead a man with a cognitive disability. Family members described the operation as “sudden and terrifying,” with forces using police dogs and live fire. 'Israel' claimed the detainees were members of Hamas plotting attacks, but Syrian relatives insist they were civilians with no political ties.

HRW condemned the transfers as violations of international law, noting that the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the removal of detainees from occupied territories.

- 'Israel’s' response -

The 'Israeli' military, in a written reply to HRW, defended its actions as “necessary operational measures” aimed at protecting 'Israeli' civilians. It claimed that demolished buildings were uninhabited and arrests were intelligence-driven, with detainees subject to judicial review.

However, HRW countered that no evacuation plans were made, there were no active hostilities in the areas, and the construction of permanent military outposts shows intent to entrench control rather than respond to immediate threats.

- Calls for accountability -

Human Rights Watch urged governments to suspend military support to 'Israel', halt settlement trade from the occupied Golan Heights, and pursue accountability through international courts.

“The inaction of other governments in response to Israel’s unlawful conduct across the region is allowing it to apply its repressive tactics with impunity,” said Zayadin. “The international community should act now to suspend military support, impose targeted measures, and back accountability, including at the ICC.”