JERUSALEM, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli soldiers opened fire on a gathering of protesters and injured at least three civilians in southern Syria, including a child, Israeli and Syrian sources said Wednesday.
According to Syrian media reports, Israeli troops opened fire on a group of civilians who were gathering in the Quneitra area to protest Israel's seizure of Syrian territory in the Golan Heights.
Meanwhile, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on social media platform X that "several gatherings were identified in the area of southern Syria, with individuals approaching IDF (the Israel Defense Forces) forces operating in the region."
The forces called on the protesters to move away and then "responded with warning shots," he said, adding that the Israeli military was aware of reports of casualties and was investigating into the incident, and that its deployment in the area "will continue."
Earlier in December, the Israeli military seized the UN-monitored demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, where it claimed to expand settlements, a move that drew widespread international condemnation. ■
