Israel and Syria have agreed to a cease-fire proposal “embraced” by Turkey, Jordan, and other neighboring countries, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said on Friday.
Barrack said the leaders of both countries have agreed to a cease-fire of hostilities, with the support of the United States, which has acted as the mediator.
“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbors,” he stated on X.
Neither the Israeli nor the Syrian governments have issued a statement regarding the cease-fire deal at the time of publication.
Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus, the capital of Syria, on July 16, hitting the entrance to the Syrian regime's military headquarters. The Israel Defense Forces said the strikes were meant to protect Druze civilians—an Arab religious minority primarily residing in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel—in southern Syria.
The proposal came as tensions have intensified in Syria’s Sweida in recent days, as fighters from the Druze minority have clashed with government security forces and members of Bedouin tribes, resulting in hundreds of deaths.
The Syrian regime said on July 16 that it would hold those responsible for lawlessness in Sweida accountable and remains committed to protecting the rights of the people in Sweida.
This story will be updated with more details.
From The Epoch Times