All Middle East
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.
Why Netanyahu had to say 鈥榶es鈥� to Trump鈥檚 ceasefire plan for GazaIsolated abroad and under constant pressure at home, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had no other option but to comply when his chief patron, U.S. President Donald Trump, hailed Hamas鈥� response to his 20-point peace plan for Gaza.
First LookIsraeli bombing in Gaza subsides amid push for U.S.-backed dealBombing in Gaza City has 鈥渟ignificantly subsided,鈥� a hospital official says. Israel鈥檚 army says it鈥檚 preparing for the first phase of a U.S. peace plan backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.聽Talks are underway for the release of hostages.
First LookTrump says Hamas ready for peace, urges Israel to halt bombing GazaReplying to President Donald Trump鈥檚 ultimatum to accept his plan for ending the war, Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects require consultations. Hamas did not say it would disarm, an Israeli demand.
As Gazans weigh Trump plan, what鈥檚 missing is a say in their futureLike other recent plans for the 鈥渄ay after鈥� war ends in Gaza, the Trump ceasefire plan was formulated without direct input from Gazans. As they react with both optimism and skepticism, a major concern is that they don鈥檛 give up on self-determination.
Netanyahu bends to Trump on Gaza, but disarming Hamas remains a hurdlePresident Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had accepted a U.S. plan for Gaza. But prospects for ending the war lean on Arab and Muslim states to deliver Hamas鈥� agreement to disarm. And a U.S. and Israeli threat of force hangs heavily.
In Gaza, military offensive and civilian chaos hinder food aidThe arrival of more food sparked hope in Gaza that famine might be avoided. But supplies are insufficient and distribution hard to organize.
In the land of couscous, pulled noodles from China create a stirZhao Jun opened his pulled noodle joint in Algiers to serve fellow Chinese migrant workers. Now more than half his clients are Algerian.
A year late, and their schools destroyed, Gaza鈥檚 students complete examsAfter a yearlong delay, students in Gaza have completed their high school graduation exams. But their futures remain circumscribed by war.聽