Gadir al-Bustan, Syria - Officials in Syria's new de facto government took a hard line on Thursday over Israeli incursions into Syrian territory after an Israeli strike killed three people and wounded five others in southern Syria.

"Israel used the presence of Iranian militias as an excuse to advance into the buffer zone, but after the liberation of Damascus, this excuse no longer holds true," said the leader of Syria's new government, formerly known as Mohammad al-Jolani. News in the Syrian capital press conference.

For decades, the Syrian-Israeli border has remained largely calm under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. The agreement creates a demilitarized buffer zone patrolled by the United Nations between the two countries after war broke out between the two countries last year.

However, after Syrian President Bashar Assad stepped down on December 8, Israeli troops entered the buffer zone, saying it was a temporary measure to block hostile forces. The move drew criticism and protests from local residents and Arab countries.

Shara, who spoke alongside the visiting Qatari foreign minister, said Syria was ready to welcome international forces into the buffer zone and noted that Qatar plays a "central role" in exerting international pressure on Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone.

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani condemned Israel's occupation of the buffer zone and said its forces "must withdraw immediately."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israeli forces on December 17 to "take over" the buffer zone, which is home to several Syrian villages, and to remain there until new arrangements are made to ensure Israel's security . Israeli forces also invaded areas outside the buffer zone, sparking protests.

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Shibani said in a radio interview: "These areas belong to the Syrian people, not the Syrian regime, and we must defend our homes. Israel must respect Syria's sovereignty, just as they do for their own borders." "As well as seeking safety in our homes," Turkish television network TRT said on Thursday.

He urged the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories and called for respect for Syria's sovereignty.

"Everyone has to respect others if they want to keep themselves safe," Shibani said.

Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes against Syrian government assets, including jets, tanks and missiles, particularly after Assad was overthrown.

An Israeli attack on the village of Gadir al-Bustan in Quneitra province on Wednesday killed three people and wounded many others, according to local residents and the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Those killed included a local municipal official and security personnel linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that led the blitz offensive against Assad and now leads Syria's new government.

The Israeli military said the attack targeted weapons-carrying vehicles. HTS has yet to officially comment on the attack.

Nizar Mitchell, a teacher in Gadir al-Bustan, said the new government's army and security forces had launched an operation to confiscate unauthorized weapons.

He said Israeli drones targeted a convoy of military vehicles involved in the operation as they headed north of the village.

At the funeral of Abdul Ali Cooma, a local official killed in the strike, dozens of mourners carried his wooden coffin to the cemetery, prayed for him, and buried him.

Abed al-Rahman al-Bustani, Quma’s cousin, told The Associated Press: “I was meeting friends, including Quma, before he left to go home. Having lunch together." A few minutes later, Boustani said he heard a drone flying overhead and felt "the rocket land right between our houses, only 10 meters (33 feet) apart."

"Kumar has no job but everyone loves him. He is a good man," Bustani added. He noted that at least three other people were injured in the attack. An Associated Press reporter visited an injured security force member at a local hospital.

"We are not in a good situation. We are asking Israel to leave. They have destroyed our houses, drones are constantly flying overhead and we are afraid to leave our homes," Boustani said. "We live 10 kilometers (6 miles) away from them. We have not crossed their borders and have not caused any harm to them, but they continue to invade all our villages."

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Abu Aljod reported from Beirut. Susan Fraser in Ankara and Omar Albam in Syria contributed to this report.