Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı
23 April 2026•Update: 23 April 2026
The UN called out Israel on Wednesday over a renewed incursion into Syrian territory, warning that repeated military violations are threatening Syria's "fragile" political transition and demanding an immediate halt to the provocations.
"Let me start by noting that Israeli military activity in southern Syria continues in breach of existing agreements and international law," UN deputy special envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone told a UN Security Council session on Syria, pointing to Israeli forces' conducting near-daily incursions, erecting checkpoints, and detaining Syrian nationals.
He singled out an incident on Wednesday in which "dozens of Israelis crossed several hundred meters into the Area of Separation near the village of Hadar," saying both the crossing and their behavior were "highly provocative."
"I reiterate our strong call on Israel to cease violations, respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, adhere to the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and prevent incidents such as the one today," he said, also demanding Israel return all Syrian detainees taken in violation of international law.
Cordone expressed hope that "talks between Israel and Syria with US facilitation can lead to sustainable security arrangements."
He commended the Syrian government's efforts to "shield Syria from the conflicts raging in the region, with Syrian security forces deployed defensively to control borders," and that "March 2026 recorded the lowest levels of direct conflict-related violence in 15 years, although civilians continued to be killed by remnants of war."
Warning that the economic picture remained concerning, he said: "Syria's economic outlook remains fragile."
"The regional conflict has raised import costs, disrupted supply chains, and affected food production," he added.
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher shared "a more positive trajectory," but immediately cautioned that "the progress is fragile" following years of conflict and neglect, pointing to millions of people returning home, growing markets, and more electricity coming back on as encouraging signs.
Pointing to three major risks threatening to reverse those gains, he said that "as of April 19th, nearly 300,000 people had crossed into Syria from Lebanon, overwhelmingly Syrian nationals, adding to the estimated 1.6 million Syrian refugees who have returned to Syria from across the region since the end of 2024."
He warned that ongoing disruptions to critical supply routes risked "setting back return and recovery efforts by years."
Internally, the needs remained staggering, over 13 million people in need of food, 12 million without access to clean water, and mines continuing to kill and maim.
Fletcher made three requests of the Council: sustain diplomatic energy, support vital humanitarian operations, and invest in Syria's future. "The world needs a success story," he said. "Syria could be one."
UN's special representative for children and armed conflict, Vanessa Frazier, said children remained the most vulnerable amid the continued hostilities across the Middle East.
"Sadly, the situation has been taken over by the events in the Middle East immediately upon my return, and once again, children are caught in a spiral of deadly violence and destruction," she said, expressing hope that international support could still deliver "positive and long-lasting change for children" in Syria.
