Damascus – Gaza: Europe and the Arabs

The Israeli army continues its incursion into Syrian territory, marking its third violation in less than 24 hours. Its forces advanced from the western side of the village of Saada al-Hanout in the southern Quneitra countryside, according to the Syrian news agency SANA. This escalation comes just hours after US President Donald Trump warned Israel against intervening in Syria.

SANA reported that three Israeli vehicles were stationed inside the village, while a Syrian regime drone conducted a reconnaissance operation over the area. More than one incursion was recorded on the same day, as Israeli forces, supported by two Humvees and two armored personnel carriers, had previously advanced towards the summit of Tell Abu Qubays near the village of Ain Ziwan.

This comes as an Israeli airstrike on Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside killed 15 people and wounded at least 25 others, sparking widespread condemnation. According to a report published by the European news network Euronews in Brussels on Tuesday, Trump had urged Benjamin Netanyahu's government not to take actions that could undermine the chances of stability. The Axios website quoted two American sources as saying that the administration fears Israeli strikes could derail a security agreement between Damascus and Tel Aviv.

In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump said his administration was "very pleased" with the performance of Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. He added, "It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and genuine dialogue with Syria, and that nothing happens that interferes with Syria's development into a prosperous nation."

Earlier, a phone call took place between Netanyahu and Trump against the backdrop of the tensions in Syria. Channel 13 reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to visit the White House soon.

For her part, Najat Rochdi, the UN Special Envoy to Syria, condemned the Israeli incursion into Syrian territory, noting that civilians were killed as a result. Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2014, Israel has intensified its airstrikes across Syria, alongside expanding its ground operations in the south.

It has also established numerous military checkpoints within Syrian territory, arrested civilians, and consolidated its control over the occupied Golan Heights by seizing a demilitarized buffer zone.

Conversely, some argue that the current Syrian regime's silence, coupled with its efforts to normalize relations with Tel Aviv, has emboldened Israel to escalate its expansionist campaign, especially given that Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz stated at the end of November that his country was "not on the path to peace with Syria." In this context, Rami Abdul Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, attacked the Syrian authorities and criticized the celebrations held in some areas to mark the one-year anniversary of the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. He said, "Shame, shame, shame on this regime! When Israel kills 15 Syrians, they mention them and celebrate their deaths the next day. Then US President Trump comes along and says that al-Sharaa promised him excellent, long-term relations with Israel."

Regarding the situation in Gaza and the escalating violence in the West Bank and Gaza, Israeli Army Radio announced this morning that the perpetrator of yesterday's car-ramming attack in Hebron had been killed.

Haaretz newspaper had reported that an Israeli soldier was lightly wounded in a car-ramming attack near the Kiryat Arba settlement east of Hebron.

Later, it reported that the Israeli army was pursuing the perpetrator of the car-ramming attack near Hebron and that he was likely wounded by Israeli fire.

In this regard, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli forces stormed the courtyards of Al-Ahli, Muhammad Ali, and Al-Mizan hospitals and positioned themselves at their entrances. In Gaza, an Israeli airstrike targeted the eastern part of Gaza City, coinciding with shelling that targeted several areas east of Khan Younis.

Meanwhile, the Civil Defense in Gaza reported that two Palestinians were wounded by Israeli tank fire near the Al-Sanafir intersection in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

In the same vein, Hamas asserted on Monday that the number of trucks Israel allows into the Gaza Strip does not meet even the minimum needs, and that most of them are designated for the commercial sector and carry supplementary materials that are not essential given the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem stated in a press release, "The number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip does not at all meet the minimum basic needs of the population."

He explained that "most of the trucks the occupation allows to enter are designated for the commercial sector and carry supplementary materials that are not essential for citizens in light of the current humanitarian catastrophe."