All Middle East
鈥楢bandoned by everyone,鈥� Gazans watch the bombs fallAfter the resumption of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, the population worries it has been abandoned by the world.聽
鈥楢 chance to build鈥�: How Syrian civil society is making the country workAcross Syria, as the interim government struggles to provide both security and services, local civil society groups are helping to fill the voids. But is there a part for them to play in politics, and in helping to shape the country鈥檚 future?
Deadly Israeli barrage shatters Gaza ceasefire, but Israel divided on warAfter Hamas鈥� Oct. 7 attack, Israelis mobilized almost without reservation for war, and sacrifice. But the overnight airstrikes that killed hundreds in Gaza find many Israelis exhausted by a long war and suspicious of their leaders鈥� motivations.
What role for Kurds in the 鈥榥ew鈥� Syria? They鈥檙e getting mixed messages.Bringing the U.S.-allied Kurdish militia under the umbrella of Syria鈥檚 army sends an important message about national cohesion amid heightened concerns over minority rights.
Arab world unites on Gaza. Can it get US, Israel, and Hamas on board?From the outset, the Trump plan for rebuilding Gaza faced fierce resistance over the relocation of its Palestinian residents. A plan that now has broad Arab world backing avoids that, and goes further, setting its sights on regional peace. Still, it faces hurdles.
How Israel failed to anticipate Hamas: Intel trusted tech over peopleOn Oct. 7, Hamas forces penetrated a $1.1 billion, high-tech Israeli barrier on the Gaza border. Israel鈥檚 army and Shin Bet security force say their intelligence failed by relying on technology at the expense of humans.
Deadly clashes in Syria are precisely what new leaders sought to avertSectarian violence involving supporters of the deposed Assad regime has left hundreds dead, calling into question whether Syria鈥檚 new rulers can maintain discipline over a patchwork of armed militant groups, including hard-line jihadis.
First LookIn Syria, deadly attacks on Assad鈥檚 Alawites are blow to new leadersThe death toll from two days of clashes between security forces and loyalists of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and revenge killings that followed has risen to more than 600, a war monitoring group said Saturday. Local residents said gunmen shot Alawites, the majority of them men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes.
As Syrians struggle to rebuild, old US sanctions are a daunting hurdleEven as former anti-Assad rebels adjust to governing, private Syrians are trying to rebuild homes and communities shattered by civil war. Standing in their way are severe U.S. sanctions blocking equipment and investment.
Amid Gaza ceasefire鈥檚 uncertainty, Palestinians focus on survivalThe first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire allowed Palestinians to return to communities in Gaza鈥檚 devastated north. But as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives, the peace framework is shaking.
Near Gaza, Israeli communities ravaged on Oct. 7 refocus on rebirthThe kibbutzim and other Israeli communities near Gaza still bear the marks of Oct. 7. But as hostages return home, they are shifting toward rebirth.
In Yemen, activists seek to restore rubble-strewn sanctuary for migrating birdsFor centuries, Yemen鈥檚 coastal wetlands played host to each year to flocks of migrating birds. But civil war has left the ecosystem in dire straits.
For Syria鈥檚 religious minorities, new freedoms, yet lingering insecurityIt has been a pressing question regarding Syria鈥檚 new rulers. How would the Islamist group treat religious freedom in a diverse country? For Syria鈥檚 religious minorities, the answer has been encouraging, but incomplete.
What鈥檚 next for the Gaza ceasefire? Netanyahu pressed from all sides.Benjamin Netanyahu is in a bind over Gaza. His hard-right allies want to resume the war. An emotional Israeli public wants more hostages released. The Trump administration wants the ceasefire with Hamas to proceed.
Why many Israelis embrace a Trump plan for Gaza once seen as tabooPresident Donald Trump鈥檚 plan to take over Gaza and expel its residents was received in an Israel exhausted by conflict and lacking a 鈥渄ay after鈥� plan of its own.聽
Jordan in a bind: What to offer Trump instead of taking in Gaza refugees?Jordanian King Abdullah鈥檚 meeting with Donald Trump Tuesday was one of the most consequential of his 25-year reign. His mission: to get the U.S. president to walk back his plan to relocate Gaza鈥檚 population to Jordan and Egypt.
鈥楾here is a lot of fear.鈥� In West Bank, Palestinians decry Israel鈥檚 Gaza tactics.As Israel presses ahead with a massive military operation targeting militants in the West Bank, it鈥檚 relying on tactics used in the war in Gaza. The result for Palestinians is a rising level of destruction and displacement.
First LookLebanon's president forms new government as southern ceasefire holdsLebanon's first government in two years takes office as it rebuilds its war-torn south. The country also seeks to maintain security after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November.
How Trump鈥檚 proposed plan for Gaza has united an outraged Arab worldWhatever becomes of President Trump鈥檚 proposal to take over Gaza and resettle the Palestinians there, the Arab world is not on board. Many consider the plan a form of what the U.N. terms 鈥渆thnic cleansing.鈥� Some say it could lead to war.
Trump鈥檚 plan for Gaza ridiculed as unserious. So why did he float it?While President Trump has ridiculed past U.S. military deployments and nation-building efforts, he has consistently been drawn to Mideast diplomacy. But his proposal to 鈥渙wn鈥� and develop the Gaza Strip and displace its population has many questioning how serious he is.
