Jordan, Syria, U.S. discuss Syria’s Sweida ceasefire in Amman as more Israeli Druze cross border to Syria to fuel tensions
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Syrian foreign affairs chief Asaad Al-Shaibani, and U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack held a trilateral meeting in Amman on Saturday to discuss the situation in Syria and support a ceasefire in the southern Sweida province, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said. The ceasefire, announced earlier in the day, aims to cease hostility and protect civilians.
According to the statement, Safadi and Barrack voiced strong support for the agreement and for the Syrian interim government’s efforts to enforce it, reaffirming their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and stability.
The three sides agreed on key steps to sustain the truce, including the deployment of Syrian forces in Sweida, the release of detainees, the promotion of reconciliation, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid delivery.
Safadi and Barrack also welcomed Syria’s pledge to hold accountable those responsible for attacks on civilians and expressed support for initiatives to combat violence, sectarianism, and hate speech.
Al-Shaibani thanked Jordan and the United States for their role in securing the ceasefire and backing Syria’s stability.
An escalation in Sweida began on June 13 after armed members of a Bedouin tribe in the countryside of Sweida, a predominantly Druze province, reportedly assaulted and robbed a young Druze man. The attack sparked retaliatory kidnappings, spiraling into full-scale clashes between local Druze fighters, government troops, and Bedouin militias.
Border Crossings
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that dozens of Israeli Druze civilians forcibly crossed the border into Syria overnight, amid escalating tensions following recent clashes in Syria’s southern Sweida province. Deadly fighting erupted last week in Syria between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes, and forces of Syria’s interim government.
The border incident occurred near Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, where Israeli soldiers and Border Police attempted to disperse a violent gathering of civilians. Despite their efforts, dozens managed to cross into Syrian territory, according to the IDF.
“The IDF strongly condemns all violence against its personnel and security forces,” the Israeli military statement said, adding that “crossing the border into Syria is a criminal offense that endangers both the civilians involved and IDF soldiers.” The army said efforts are underway to return those who crossed the border.
On Saturday, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa had agreed to a cessation of hostilities, brokered by the United States, following recent deadly sectarian clashes in southern Syria that prompted Israeli intervention through heavy airstrikes.
More Killings in Gaza
At least 25 Palestinians were killed and more than 70 others wounded Saturday morning as Israeli troops opened fire at a humanitarian aid center in southern Gaza, according to medical sources and witnesses.
Atif Al-Hout, director of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, told Xinhua the hospital had received “25 bodies and more than 70 injured individuals” following the incident in the Al-Tineh area of Khan Younis.
Eyewitnesses told Xinhua that Israeli forces used gunfire and tank shells against a group of Palestinians gathering near an aid distribution point operated by an American organization north of Rafah.
They described the scene as a “massacre,” saying many victims remained trapped by Israeli tanks and soldiers, preventing evacuation or retrieval of bodies. Al-Hout said his hospital was struggling to cope amid severe shortages of medical supplies and fuel, while the situation in other local hospitals stayed “unbearable.”
He condemned what he described as attacks on civilians, warning of more deaths due to the critical condition of the wounded.
On the same day, six people were killed and 17 others wounded when an Israeli airstrike hit a tent sheltering displaced civilians in the Al-Daraj neighborhood of central Gaza City, said medical sources and eyewitnesses.
