The city of Nawa, in which at least 100,000 people still live, is the largest urban center left in rebel hands in Deraa province, where a Russian-backed offensive begun last month defeated rebels across a swathe of territory near Jordan and Israel.The artillery and aerial bombardment came only hours after thousands of displaced people who had taken shelter along the Israeli border returned to the city that the army has nearly completely besieged.They came back after reports that rebels had reached a surrender deal with the Russian military that would spare the city bombardment, another resident said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a hospital in the city was put out of action as a result of the bombardment, citing what it said were high casualties with "tens of people killed and injured."The Syrian opposition accuses Russia and its allies of exacting a harsh punishment on civilians by heavily bombing rebel-held towns, forcing mass displacement of populated areas and causing wide scale destruction.They say the intensity of the bombardment has forced rebels in many towns to sign surrender deals that offer safe passage to those who want to move to other opposition areas after handing over their weapons, while enlisting those who stay into the military. Some of the heavy army bombardment came from al-Haara, a strategically located hill captured from rebels on Monday and overlooking the Golan that is close to Nawa city.The shelling also targeted various rebel-held villages in Quneitra province located only a few kilometers away from the Israel border where tens of thousands of people had taken shelter from the offensive.Earlier in the day, hundreds of internally-displaced persons in Syria approached the Golan Heights border seeking refuge in Israel from the assault, but were turned away. Israel has long offered aid to Syrians fleeing Bashar Assad's regime but stressed it will not accept refugees inside its borders.Last week, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman toured the Golan Heights, reiterating the government's long-standing position that Israel will not allow for Iranian entrenchment in Syria.Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.The city of #nawa in #daraa under a very severe bombardment pic.twitter.com/sT47yaelre
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