All Middle East
Will Trump鈥檚 Gaza peace plan disarm Hamas?President Trump鈥檚 Gaza peace plan requires Hamas to lay down its arms. The militant Islamic group is refusing to do so. Can the peace process survive?
In reshuffle of Middle East alliances, Trump looks beyond IsraelDonald Trump is moving to reshuffle U.S. Middle East alliances, giving pride of place to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, not Israel.
Backlash over Gaza war hits parts of Israel鈥檚 economy. Will it last?Despite Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza, its economy grew, due mostly to its strong tech sector. But calls to boycott Israel over the conduct of the war appear to have hit some exports. Will that rage subside if the ceasefire holds?
In Gaza, a music teacher sings above the din of warGazan music teacher Ahmed Abu Amsha uses melodies both to help his students forget the war around them, and to memorialize the conflict.
Israel鈥檚 heavy-handed raids, arrests in Syria dim hopes for new eraThe ouster last year of President Bashar al-Assad raised hopes of a diplomatic reset with Israel, whom many on Syria鈥檚 Golan Heights saw as a pragmatic neighbor. Instead, they鈥檝e faced mysterious Israeli detentions and expanded occupation.
To navigate Gaza peace process, Hamas seeks help from former rivalsAs Hamas maneuvers in advance of post-war governance arrangements in Gaza, the Islamist group is seeking common ground with former rivals.
An international force in Gaza? Israelis struggle with outsourcing security.Israel has long prided itself on 鈥済oing it alone鈥� in a region largely hostile to its existence. But as nations seek an international force to preserve the fragile Gaza ceasefire, Israelis are grappling with the notion of trusting their security to others.
As violations rock Gaza ceasefire, Hamas鈥� control of territory is thinViolations of Gaza's ceasefire highlight challenges facing Hamas until a new Palestinian administration is formed and a security force is deployed.
Iran quietly backs Gaza truce amid bid to hand off regional bad-guy imageIran quietly voiced support for the Trump ceasefire plan in Gaza, based on its ally Hamas鈥� acceptance of the deal. Analysts say Tehran is trying to change the narrative about its regional posture, painting Israel as the real threat.
New government in Syria means a new curriculum in schools: What changedSyria鈥檚 new school year, the first since the fall of the Assad regime, has a revised look at history and increased emphasis on religion. As one teacher notes, a curriculum is more than lessons; it shows how a nation understands itself.
For Israelis, a legacy of the war in Gaza is international ostracismIndividual Israelis and professional organizations are feeling increasingly isolated globally as the world focuses on Palestinian suffering in Gaza. But do boycotts of academic and artistic institutions further the cause of peace?
First LookIsrael halts aid into Gaza 鈥榰ntil further notice鈥� as ceasefire faces major testIsrael has launched a new wave of strikes into Gaza and said that aid to the territory will be halted following an alleged Hamas ceasefire violation. Hamas denied responsibility.
On Gaza鈥檚 streets, Hamas wages violent fight to reassert controlAfter two years underground, Hamas is demonstrating its control over Gaza by cracking down on rival militias and gangs.
Does Turkey hold the key to peace in the Middle East?The next stage of the Trump peace plan for Gaza requires Hamas to pass security responsibility to an international force. Will Turkey take the role?
鈥楥losing a circle of sadness鈥�: Euphoric homecomings in Israel and GazaThe long-awaited day that saw the return of surviving Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners gave an early indication of the tough challenges awaiting Donald Trump鈥檚 Gaza plan. On a whirlwind trip to Israel, the U.S. president said the time for peace is now.
First LookHamas returns living hostages; Israel begins releasing Palestinian prisonersIsraelis celebrated the return of the last surviving hostages from Gaza 鈥� a defining exchange in the fragile ceasefire聽that has paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel as part of the ceasefire deal as well.
Israelis and Palestinians greet Gaza deal with joy, relief, and cautionAs Israel and Hamas finalize the first phase of the Gaza peace plan, many in the region are focused on what can go wrong. Even so, joy is enveloping many Israelis and Palestinians eager for emotional and physical relief.
Gaza breakthrough: Israel and Hamas approve first phase of Trump planAgreement by the two warring parties in Gaza after months of tense negotiations and near-deals brought widespread relief, raising hopes that a war that was sparked by Hamas鈥� deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack will finally be brought to a close.
Distrustful of US and Israel, Palestinians are cool to Trump鈥檚 Gaza planIn Gaza, which experienced tremendous loss from the war, and in the West Bank, facing settler violence and military restrictions, distrust of Israel and the U.S. runs deep. Many Palestinians say the Trump plan will not bring peace.
Oct. 7 plus two years: In Israel, fatigue, lingering anger, a glimmer of hopeTwo years after the massacre that ignited the war in Gaza, Monitor correspondent Dina Kraft reflects on how Oct. 7 has exhausted Israelis and changed the country, which is experiencing anger, doubts, and concern over internal dissent.
