SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency

Health authorities in Gaza said Monday that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip have killed 21 Palestinians and injured 96 others over the past 24 hours.

Ministry of Health in Gaza (MoH) stated on Monday that hospitals in the Gaza Strip received 21 new bodies, two of whom were pulled out from under the rubble, and 96 injuries, bringing the total toll since October 7, 2023, to 67,160 deaths and169,679 injuries.

The ministry also reported that some victims remain trapped under rubble, as civil defense and rescue teams are unable to reach them.

Since the ceasefire agreement was broken by Israel on March 18, 2025, the death toll has surged to 13,568 deaths and 57,638 injuries, the ministry said.

2 Palestinians have died and 19 were injured related to livelihood aid, bringing the death toll from livelihood-related incidents to 2610 deaths and more than 19143 injuries.

The strong smell of durian fruit caused firefighters to be called four times in the city of Wiesbaden in western Germany, after residents of buildings and shopping centers suspected a gas leak.

According to The German news agency ‘’the smell of this fruit, which is grown in Southeast Asia, resembles that of natural gas, prompting shopping center residents to report the odor. Inspections showed no presence of gas or any issues with the supply network.

While firefighters were checking stores inside the shopping center, durian fruit was found in an Asian store, and it turned out that the ventilation system had distributed the fruit’s smell throughout the building.

 Durian is grown in Southeast Asia and is known for its pungent smell, which can be mistaken for gas odors, sometimes leading to emergency teams being called to check public safety.

Minister of Agriculture Dr. Amjad Badr discussed with Tawfiq al-Zabri, representative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the extension of the Livestock Development Project and agricultural support to assist Syrian farmers.

The key focus areas included pasture seed production, rehabilitation of artificial insemination tanks, and restoration of animal production centers across the provinces.

Minister Badr emphasized the importance of establishing a productive marketing network to support rural women’s products and farmers as part of poverty alleviation efforts, particularly given the challenges Syria has faced.

For his part, al-Zabri highlighted that the project, currently being implemented across all provinces, aims to develop the agricultural sector. He noted that 12 technical experts will be required to tour the provinces and monitor the implementation process.

He also highlighted IFAD’s efforts to enhance rural women’s products in southern and coastal regions, as well as in Idlib and northeastern Syria, and support the development of the “Badia project.”

These discussions reflect the Syrian government’s commitment, alongside its international partners, to strengthening the livestock and agricultural sectors, supporting rural communities, and contributing to food security and sustainable development.

The Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections announced the preliminary results and opened the appeals process on Monday.

On its Telegram channel, the committee stated that the appeals process will remain open until the close of official working hours on Monday, October 6, 2025.

The committee clarified that any interested party may appeal the preliminary results for their electoral district before the appeals committee of the relevant governorate.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, reiterated that the Israeli war on Gaza and its repeated attacks on neighboring countries, is destabilizing the region and requires a firm international stance.

In his speech during the high-level forum on regional security and cooperation between the Cooperation Council and the European Union, Al-Badawi denounced Israeli attacks in Gaza and the illegal attacks on neighboring countries, calling for an immediate stop of these attacks that undermine the chances of peace.

Al-Badawi praised the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to end the war on Gaza, and stressed the need for it to be based on international law and justice for the Palestinian people.

He reaffirmed the GCC’s commitment to working with partners to ensure its implementation, end Israeli crimes, and enable the Palestinian people to establish their independent state in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and United Nations resolutions.

Regarding the Iranian nuclear file, the Chairman of the Cooperation Council stressed that the continued ambiguity and escalation represent a threat to the security of the region and the world, calling on Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and stop high levels of enrichment.

Health Minister Musaab al-Ali opened several health facilities in Homs Governorate, after they were rehabilitated in cooperation with international humanitarian organizations, the ministry announced on Sunday.

The ministry stated that the facilities included a mobile hospital in al-Qusayr with a capacity of 60 beds, an operating room with 12 intensive care beds, and a physical rehabilitation center for treating physical, hearing, and psychological disabilities.

Additionally, the Bab al-Dreib and Talbiseh health centers, as well as the kidney department at the Grand Homs Hospital in the al-Waer neighborhood, were also rehabilitated.

The minister confirmed that the Ministry will continue its efforts to restore all health centers and hospitals in Homs Governorate to meet the people’s needs.

For her part, UNICEF Representative in Syria, Ms. Meritxell Relaño Arana, emphasized that the organization, through cooperation with its partners, seeks to provide healthcare to children, as they are the foundation of Syria’s future.

Executive Director of the al-Amin Organization for Humanitarian Support, Muawiya Harsouni, explained that the organization, in cooperation with the Ministry, is working to provide specialized services at the Bab al-Dreib Health Center to treat speech disorders and autism in children, making it the only center specializing in cochlear implants in Homs.

Syria’s Central Bank governor Abdulkader al-Husrieh announced on Monday that the bank has completed updating the executive regulations for the Investment Banks Law No. (56) of 2010, marking an important step toward developing Syria’s financial system.

In a post on his personal Facebook page, al-Husrieh described the move as a “qualitative step toward developing Syria’s financial and banking system to meet the country’s reconstruction financing needs.”

Speaking about the law, the governor said it represents “a pivotal moment in regulating and licensing investment banks and enhancing the national investment environment in line with regional and international transformations in the field of financial services.”

al-Husrieh further noted that the law and its executive regulations aim to organize the work of investment banks according to the best international practices and standards, enabling the financial sector to play an active role in financing development projects and reconstruction efforts.
According to the governor, the law seeks to strike a “balance between encouraging private investments and ensuring public oversight, institutional transparency, and enhanced investor protection,” while reinforcing the principles of sound governance and corporate responsibility.

Al-Husrieh expects investment banks to be licensed in Syria once the executive regulations come into effect.
He viewed the move as a “strategic step toward building a modern Syrian economy based on investment, transparency, and accountability.” It also paves the way for a new phase of economic growth and sustainable development, strengthening Syria’s position as an active and influential financial and investment hub in the region, according to the governor.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced on Sunday that 66,611 students have applied for University Admission Competition for the 2025-2026 academic year through the electronic application system.

The ministry said in a statement that the applying for the competition is simple and facilitate measures for Student to apply online.

According to the statement, the online application process began on October 1 and will continue until October 16. Students facing difficulties can reach out to support centers at universities.

Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir discussed with a group of businessmen and investors from the United States, Europe, and Arab countries investment opportunities and projects to rehabilitate the damaged energy sector in Syria.

During the meeting on Sunday, the Minister reviewed the national plans and strategies for developing the energy sector and rehabilitating infrastructure and enhancing production in oil, gas, electricity, and renewable energy sectors.

The investors and businessmen expressed their interest in the investment opportunities available in the Syrian market.

They also conveyed their willingness to cooperate and participate in projects that contribute to the development of the energy sector.

The Ministry of Energy is working to implement a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the sector’s facilities and expand renewable energy projects to meet the country’s growing needs.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his willingness to continue working on the nuclear arms reduction treaty with Moscow, which Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously proposed a one-year extension.

Trump was quoted by AFP agency as saying at the White House when asked for his response to Putin’s offer to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, it “Sounds like a good idea to me”.

This treaty aims to limit in both countries’ deployed offensive nuclear weapons, requiring the levels of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear warheads remain below the agreed-upon limits.

The treaty, signed in 2010, limits each side to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 800 deployed and non-deployed ballistic missile launchers and heavy bombers, as well as a mutual verification system.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab emphasized that the ministry’s success in securing the People’s Assembly elections is an outcome of continued efforts to protect the Syrian people’s will reflected in their participation in the elections to shape their own future.

In a post on the X platform late Sunday, Khattab stated that the “People’s Assembly elections represent a fundamental pillar in building the Syrian state,” though he said that the path ahead remains long.

He hailed the ministry units’ efforts to secure the elections and their dedication to protecting citizens’ right to freely express their choices

The Syrian Ministry of Defense has dismissed the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) allegations that the Syrian Arab Army targeted residential areas in Deir Hafar, eastern Aleppo, as a “misleading” claim aimed at covering up their crimes.

In a statement shared with SANA late Sunday, the Ministry’s Media and Communications Department emphasized that these “misleading accusations” are designed to cover up the SDF’s crimes against civilians in northern and eastern Syria, as well as its ongoing efforts to destabilize the region.

The statement asserted that the Syrian Arab Army “has exercised the highest degree of restraint, limiting its responses to retaliation against sources of fire.” It clarified that this was evident in the Syrian Army’s response to SDF’s fire that targeted the villages of Humeima and Al-Keita east of Aleppo earlier on Sunday.

Recently, SDF forces have shelled several villages and towns in the eastern countryside of Aleppo with rockets and artillery, causing casualties among both military personnel and civilians.

Several foreign diplomats and representatives of international organizations observed Syria’s parliamentary elections in Damascus on Sunday, describing the process as organized, transparent, and conducted with clear commitment to integrity.

Among those monitoring the vote was Burhan Kor Oglu, chargé d’affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Damascus, who visited the National Library polling center in the capital.

“We congratulate the Syrian people on holding the first elections after Syria’s liberation,” Kor Oglu told SANA. “We have been following the process since the morning. It has been organized and transparent, with a clear commitment to ensuring a fair and credible election.”

Kor Oglu added that the elections represent “a new opportunity for the Syrian people to move toward a society aligned with modern global standards and to pave the way for a more stable and prosperous future for Syria.”

Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Jarwan, president of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, also congratulated the Syrian people, praising what he described as “their determination to rebuild Syria as a nation of peace and goodwill.”

Al-Jarwan noted the strong voter turnout and the transparency observed in the voting process, saying it demonstrated Syria’s enduring political and diplomatic presence on the world stage.

A delegation from the Independent Election Commission of Jordan also followed the elections in Damascus. Commissioner Jihad Al-Momani expressed the commission’s readiness to cooperate with Syria’s Higher Election Committee and to offer technical and logistical support.

The Jordanian delegation, which also included Mohammad Al-Hunayti, the commission’s assistant secretary-general, visited Damascus at the invitation of the Syrian election authorities.

Polling stations across Syria opened at 9 a.m. local time for voters to elect members of the People’s Assembly, marking the first parliamentary elections since the country’s liberation.

Amer Dhawa

The anti-narcotics directorates of Syria and Jordan said Sunday that joint security cooperation between the two countries led to the foiling of seven drug-smuggling attempts across their shared border in recent weeks.

In a joint statement published on the Syrian Interior Ministry’s Telegram channel, both agencies said their coordinated field operations and exchange of intelligence information resulted in the seizure of about one million narcotic pills intended for smuggling and illegal distribution. Several suspects were also arrested, the statement said.

The cooperation helped dismantle organized criminal networks involved in drug trafficking that posed a direct threat to the security of both nations and the wider region, according to the statement.

Authorities in both countries described the results as a model of constructive bilateral cooperation and a reflection of their shared determination to confront cross-border security challenges. They pledged to continue joint operations and intensify efforts to track down anyone attempts to exploit the border for smuggling activities.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue joint efforts and to intensify coordination to pursue anyone attempting to exploit the border for smuggling activities, in order to protect communities and safeguard future generations from the dangers of narcotics.

The two agencies stressed that combating drug trafficking is not solely a security mission, but also a humanitarian and moral responsibility that requires enhanced regional and international cooperation and unified efforts to address this cross-border threat.

They reiterated their firm resolve to continue the fight against drugs with determination and persistence, to protect their nations and peoples from its dangers.

Amer Dhawa

Four French deputies who were detained by Israel after boarding a Gaza-bound flotilla have declared a hunger strike.

Member of the European Parliament and La France Insoumise member Manon Aubry told France Info today: “The detention conditions of the four deputies are harsh; they are held with more than ten people in one cell, and they have begun a hunger strike,” noting that the deputies are François Piquard and Marie Massombier in the French National Assembly, and Rima Hassan and Emma Forou in the European Parliament.

Aubry called on her country’s authorities to intervene to recover the French citizens detained by Israel because of their participation in the Resilience Flotilla, whose number amounts to 30 people.

Resilience Flotilla announced on Friday that the Israeli navy attacked all ships carrying humanitarian aid and volunteers, and a number of international activists on board were detained, and this assault was met with broad international and Arab condemnations.

Khadija/ Mazen

A Civil Defense Center was established Sunday in the city of al-Qadmus of Tartous Countryside.

Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh inaugurated the new center that amid at enhancing rapid response capabilities to emergencies and disasters nationwide.

In September, a civil defense center was established in the city of Talkalakh, western Homs, to ensure swift response to urgent incidents

Spain has renewed its demand for an immediate halt to genocide war against Gaza Strip.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told public TV in an interview that “the ongoing bombardment and blockade constitute daily violations of international law, humanitarian law, and human rights. Israel must immediately cease its military operations.”

Albares stressed that the ultimate goal for Spain and the international community should be a just and lasting peace that enables the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Regarding Spanish nationals detained by Israel alongside more than 400 participants in the international “Freedom Flotilla” aimed at breaking the siege on Gaza, Albares stated that a first group of 21 individuals out of the 49 aboard the flotilla would be able to return to Spain today.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, Nour al-Din al-Baba said on Sunday that the Ministry has coordinated with the higher committee of People’s Assemble election to provide protection and secure polling centers as well as preserve the smooth process of the elections across the country.

Speaking to SANA, al-Baba added that the Ministry plan concluded the deployment of police personnel, as well as female police, to preserve women privacy and assist them to exercise their rights in casting votes.

“Syria is witnessing a historic moment as a result of Syrian revolution’s victory, the county sets fair and transparent election through which Syrians freely cast their votes to choose their representatives in the new People’s Assembly,’ al-Baba said

Minister of Transport Yarub Badr and UNHCR Head of Mission in Syria Gonzalo Vargas Llosa discussed on Sunday ways to enhance cooperation to ensure the smooth and safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.

During the meeting, Minister Badr emphasized the continued efforts to provide essential support to returnees, including transportation and financial assistance to facilitate their return.

For his part, the UNHCR Representative stressed the importance of the ongoing cooperation between the Syrian government and UNHCR, which reflects both sides’ commitment to facilitating the voluntary return process.

He reiterated UNHCR’s commitment to working in coordination with the relevant Syrian authorities to support the return process.

The UNHCR official explained that approximately 1 million refugees have returned so far, while the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has exceeded 1.8 million, with expectations that this number will rise to several millions more by 2026.

This meeting is part of the ongoing efforts by the Syrian government and UNHCR to facilitate the return of refugees.