Families in southwestern Syria are pleading for information after Israeli troops detained their relatives in the buffer zone, a move that has left many in despair. According to Naharnet, Ali al-Abdullah endured over five months of imprisonment after being removed from his village last year. He described enduring beatings and solitary confinement, yet authorities never filed formal accusations against him. Nearby, Kinan Baker was taken from his home during a nighttime raid, and his whereabouts remain unknown to his relatives.
These detentions followed Israel’s takeover of the U.N.-mandated buffer zone in December 2024, which occurred after the removal of Bashar Assad. The zone, covering 235 square kilometers, was originally created by a 1974 pact to reduce hostilities, but Israel nullified that arrangement upon securing the area. Naharnet reported that residents feel powerless, noting that appeals to Damascus and the United Nations for updates have "fallen on deaf ears." Human rights organizations and former prisoners claim that many detainees faced physical and verbal mistreatment during arrests and while incarcerated.
The Israeli military justified its presence as essential for protecting its northern frontier from Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese faction that allied with Assad during the civil war. The military stated that personnel only question and hold individuals when there is reasonable suspicion of terrorist involvement. It denied claims of mistreatment and declined to discuss specific cases, citing the families' failure to supply Syrian identification numbers. Israel remains wary of Syria’s new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, despite his recent efforts to cultivate relationships with Western nations.
In Gaza, Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Israeli-backed armed groups have abducted residents from displacement camps, further expanding Israeli control. Since a ceasefire agreement in October 2025, an imaginary boundary known as the "Yellow Line" has separated Israeli-occupied areas from those held by Hamas. Israeli forces now occupy 67 percent of the Gaza Strip, up from 60 percent. In Khan Younis, an operation resulted in the abduction of 35 Palestinians, with some released after interrogation and three remaining in custody. A similar operation near Shujaiya led to dozens of detentions. These actions have forced more Palestinians to flee as Israeli military activity intensifies across central and northern Gaza.