Jul 18, 2025 - World

Israel and Syria agree to a ceasefire, U.S. envoy says

Barak Ravid

Portrait of an elder bald man wearing a navy blue suit, light blue shirt, and red patterned tie, standing outdoors with a blurred green and black background. — U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack at an official ceremony held on May 29, 2025 Photo by Rami Alsayed/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Israel and Syria agreed on a ceasefire after days of heightened tensions and Israeli airstrikes in Damascus and southern Syria, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said on Friday.

Why it matters: The Trump administration that mediated the ceasefire has become extremely concerned that the crisis this week could further destabilize the region and undermine the U.S. diplomatic push in Syria.

What they are saying: "BREAKTHROUGH —— Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Syrian President al-Sharaa, supported by Secretary of State Rubio have agreed to a ceasefire embraced by Türkiye, Jordan and its neighbors", Barrack wrote on X.

Barrack said the U.S. and its partners call upon the Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis in Syria to put down their weapons "and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity."
"We urge all Syrians to honor each other and live in peace and prosperity with their neighbors," he stressed.

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Israel and Syria agree to a ceasefire, U.S. envoy says

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