NEW YORK CITY: The UN on Thursday condemned “repeated and intensifying military escalations” by Israel in the Syrian Arab Republic, including airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties, and called for them to cease.
The organization’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said the Israeli actions “undermine efforts to build a new Syria at peace with itself and the region, and destabilize Syria at a sensitive time.”
Overnight, a fresh wave of Israeli strikes damaged military sites in the country, including Hama Air Base, where four Defense Ministry personnel were killed and dozens of people were injured.
Israeli authorities said their forces struck “capabilities that remained” at Hama, and military infrastructure in Damascus.
Israeli troops also killed gunmen during a ground operation in Daraa province, they added. Syrian authorities put the death toll there at nine.
The latest escalation comes amid reports that Turkish authorities are making moves to station jets and other air defenses at bases in Syria.
The Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, on Thursday warned Syria’s interim president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, that he would “pay a very heavy price” if he allowed “forces hostile to Israel” to enter the country.
Pedersen called on Israel to halt the attacks, “which could amount to serious violations of international law, and respect Syria’s sovereignty and existing agreements, and also to cease unilateral actions on the ground.”
The envoy urged all parties to “prioritize diplomatic solutions and dialogue to address security concerns and prevent further escalation.”
Since the overthrow of Syria’s president, Bashar Assad, and his regime in December, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes across the country in an attempt to destroy military assets including fighter jets, tanks, missiles, air defense systems, and weapons factories and research centers.
UN condemns Israeli attacks on Syria and calls for them to end
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UN condemns Israeli attacks on Syria and calls for them to end
- Organization’s special envoy for Syria says Israel’s actions ‘undermine efforts to build a new Syria at peace with itself and the region, and destabilize Syria at a sensitive time’
- Israeli defense minister warns Syria’s interim president he will ‘pay a very heavy price’ if he allows ‘forces hostile to Israel’ to enter the country
EU urges Israel to halt NGO registration law, warns it puts aid for Gaza at risk
- Legislation could severely restrict ability of humanitarian groups to provide aid for civilians amid one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, officials say
- Without nongovernmental organizations ‘humanitarian aid cannot be delivered at the scale needed to prevent further loss of life in Gaza,’ European Council warns
NEW YORK CITY: The EU on Tuesday urged Israeli authorities not to implement in its current form a new law governing the registration of international nongovernmental organizations, warning it could jeopardize life-saving humanitarian operations in Gaza and the other occupied Palestinian territories.
In a joint statement, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Kaja Kallas, and Commissioners Hadja Lahbib and Dubravca Suica said the law could severely restrict the ability of international aid organizations to operate and deliver assistance to civilians amid one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
The European Council highlighted the need for “rapid, safe and unimpeded” delivery of aid and warned that without nongovernmental organizations, “humanitarian aid cannot be delivered at the scale needed to prevent further loss of life in Gaza.”
The new law, adopted by the Israeli government after the introduction of new registration requirements in March 2025, obliges foreign humanitarian organizations to provide detailed information about their operations, including full lists of local and foreign staff, as a condition for registering to operate in Palestinian areas.
Dozens of aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, World Vision and Oxfam, face having their accreditation revoked or licenses suspended after failing to meet the new criteria by the Dec. 31 deadline that was set. Israeli authorities have said organizations that fail to meet the new requirements must cease all activities by March 1.
Critics say the rules risk undermining humanitarian principles and could endanger local staff. The Israeli measures drew international condemnation and warnings from UN agencies, which said international NGOs provide essential “humanitarian lifelines” in Gaza where they are delivering most of the healthcare, nutritional, water and sanitation services amid ongoing restrictions and closures of border crossings.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, UN agencies have said, with winter conditions compounding the suffering of displaced populations living in makeshift shelters that expose them to heavy rain, flooding and cold.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the territory have received emergency food, shelter and winter supplies, and while famine conditions have eased since the ceasefire agreement in October, acute food insecurity, malnutrition and damage to infrastructure continues to take a toll.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said recent heavy rains have flooded tents, damaged homes and put a strain on already limited water, sanitation and health services, underscoring the need for sustained and unimpeded aid access.
The EU statement comes after the European Council on Dec. 18 welcomed a UN Security Council resolution for the establishment of a peace-building and stabilization force in Gaza, and urged all parties to implement it fully and in line with the principles of international law.
