Lebanon declares three days of mourning for Pope Francis, Israel seeks to indefinitely occupy buffer zones in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, Lebanon arrests Hamas members over March attacks from southern Lebanon, Half a million Palestinians displaced in Gaza since the end of the truce, Palestinian Islamic Jihad releases Israeli hostage video, Protests broke out against Hamas in Gaza, West Bank mark sorrowful Easter amid Israeli attacks, Hundreds of PA officers to undergo training in Egypt for post-war Gaza plan, Lebanese authorities to reopen the case of Lokman Slim’s murder, Iran nuclear talks: Negotiations are progressing between Tehran and Washington, new meeting set for April 26, Implications of a possible American withdrawal from the new Syria, US bombs Houthi oil port, kills 74, injures over 170, Individuals abducted from Lebanon by Syrian forces, Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri will not participate in the municipal elections, The Qatari emir stated that Doha is ready to support Lebanon, especially in the sectors of electricity and energy, Syrian refugees: Lebanon to discuss plan for ‘safe and dignified’ return to Damascus, Iraq has summoned Lebanon’s ambassador over remarks by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun concerning Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Syria for first visit in 18 years, Forced displacement in Sudan’s North Darfur overwhelming aid operations
Pope Francis died on Monday morning, the day after Easter. His last message: peace in Gaza and in the world. Something banal that yet seems essential in the schizophrenic moment we find ourselves living through: regardless of how one feels about it from a religious or political point of view, it died a man who tried, until the very end, to bring a message of peace in a time of dire winds of war. And also, a man of substance in a time of absolute emptiness. Every night, since October 9, 2023, he has been calling Gaza’s Holy Family Parish for news and comfort, inquiring about the sheltered Palestinians’ – both Christians and Muslims – well-being and daily lives, asking simple questions like ‘how are you?’, ‘what did you eat?’, until when, on January 15, his call coincided with celebrations marking the start of a ceasefire, lifting the oppressive fear and violence that had gripped the area for over 15 months. At the end of that Wednesday’s General Audience, three months ago now, Pope Francis reflected on his recent calls to Gaza’s parish, the priest Father Yusuf, the children and families gathered around the phone, remarking: “They’re happy. They ate lentils, and we must pray for peace.”
Over twelve profoundly consequential years for the Catholic Church – that he had predicted to end before, as he stated in his biography, Hope, released in January 2025 -, Pope Francis steered it into uncharted territory and did so in ways that will resonate long into the future. The pontiff worked to soften the face of the Catholic Church for many, loosened the Vatican’s grip on power and intervened in some of the major social questions of our time: opening the Church’s doors to divorced, homosexual, and transgender persons. Within Catholicism, he certainly had his critics; some traditionalists in particular were often enraged by actions they felt were a radical departure from Church teaching. Though, despite him being a vocal pacifist and critic of actions by major nations that he perceived as harmful, there were also those who felt he should have been more progressive. But from the moment he was elected in 2013, Pope Francis came with an informality and a smile that put the people he met at ease. It was symbolic of a principle that guided his belief that the Church should reach people in their daily lives, wherever in the world they happened to be.
One of his first acts as pope was to give up the papal apartment on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace, instead choosing to live in the same guesthouse in which he had stayed as a cardinal. Seen by some as a sign he was giving up the ostentatious trappings of papacy, and of the humility he would certainly become known for – he had, after all, taken the name of a saint, Francis, who championed the cause of the poor -, the main reason for surrendering the papal apartment, as he later explained it, pointed to another of his characteristics: that he loved being around people.
Throughout his papacy, in fact, there was a particular focus on reaching out to those on the economic and political margins, his words and actions encouraging his priests to be closer to the disadvantaged. The issue of dignity for migrants was hugely important to him throughout his papacy, but so too was building bridges with other Christian denominations, other religions and those of no faith. On occasions, to some Catholic traditionalists, the Pope’s outreach appeared inappropriate for someone of his position, like his visit to a center for asylum seekers outside Rome in spring 2016 when he washed and kissed the feet of refugees that included Muslims, Hindus and Coptic Christians.
And more, he tackled the scourge of corruption, which had long dogged the upper echelons of the Catholic Church – by closing thousands of unauthorized Vatican bank accounts and introducing new rules on financial transparency -, or dealt with the horrors of child sexual abuse by those associated with the Catholic Church: something that made it clear he knew it was something he would be judged by. “From the very start of my papacy, I felt I was being called to take responsibility for all the evil committed by certain priests,” he wrote in Hope. “With shame and repentance, the Church must seek pardon for the terrible damage that those clergy have caused with their sexual abuse of children, a crime that causes deep wounds of pain,” he continued.
Concerning the massacres in the Middle Eastern region, Pope Francis has gradually escalated his condemnation of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Earlier in January, he described the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave as both “very serious and shameful,” according to remarks conveyed by an aide during his annual address to diplomats. “We cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians,” the address read. “We cannot accept that children are freezing to death because hospitals have been destroyed or a country’s energy network has been hit”. Last November, he also suggested that the international community should inquire whether the Israeli military campaign constitutes genocide of the Palestinian people – with his remarks being met with harsh criticism by Israeli officials, who openly accused him of antisemitism.
Even Lebanon has declared three days of national mourning starting yesterday, April 21, in homage to the late Pope. In a statement, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam indicated that “flags of all official administrations, institutions, and municipalities will be flown at half-staff, and the regular programs of radio and television stations will be adapted to this solemn event.” The same measures will be applied on the day of prayers for the repose of the pope’s soul as well as during his funeral, the statement continues. The memory of Jorje Mario Bergoglio was unanimously praised in Lebanon by both political leaders and religious dignitaries, who notably emphasized his solidarity with Lebanon, his humanism, and his commitment to advancing Muslim-Christian dialogue.
In Lebanon
New series of violent airstrikes: The Israeli air force launched a series of intense airstrikes on Sunday, April 20, on several areas in the Nabatieh region and the heights of Iqlim al-Tuffah, following drone strikes on Kauthariyet al-Siyyad and Houla. The drone strikes earlier in the day killed two people, who the Israeli army claims were Hezbollah members. One of the strikes, on Kauthariyet al-Siyyad, in the district of Sidon, killed Hussein Ali Nasr, whom the Israeli military claimed was the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Unit 4400. Two others were injured, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
According to Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Nasr was involved in smuggling weapons and funds into Lebanon to strengthen Hezbollah’s military capabilities. Adraee claimed Nasr worked with Iranian entities to move weapons and cash through Beirut’s international airport and was also active on the Lebanese-Syrian border. The Israeli army noted that during the 13-month conflict with Hezbollah, it had already killed the commander of Unit 4400, Mohammad Jaafar Kassir, and his deputy, Ali Hassan Gharib.
In Houla, Marjayoun, another drone strike hit the courtyard of a house and killed what Israel described as “the head of Hezbollah’s engineering unit in the Odaisseh region,” according to Adraee. Hezbollah has not commented on the strikes.
By the afternoon, Israeli warplanes bombed areas between the villages of Bassalia and Jbaa in Nabatieh, the outskirts of Mlita and Jabal Safi in Iqlim al-Tuffah, and Sojod in the Jezzine district, following other strikes on Arnoun. The bombings, described by local sources as among “the most violent” since mid-February, were heard as far as Iqlim al-Kharroub and Saida. One Lebanese soldier was injured in Arnoun.
On Sunday evening, the Israeli army said it had targeted “missile launch platforms and military infrastructure” belonging to Hezbollah in the Nabatieh region, claiming “combatants were located at the sites.”
Despite a ceasefire that took effect in late November, Israel continues to strike Lebanon almost daily, primarily in the southern region. Since then, at least 146 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes and gunfire. The United Nations has confirmed 71 civilians killed.
Hamas operatives arrested: The Lebanese Army announced the arrest of three people suspected of involvement in the March rocket launches from southern Lebanon. A security official, cited by AFP, identified the suspects as members of Hamas. Earlier the same day of the arrest, Israeli strikes killed two people in separate strikes targeting a pickup truck in Wadi Hujair and a motorcycle in Hanine, in the district of Bint Jbeil. Additionally, a 17-year-old injured in the previous day’s attack on Aitaroun succumbed to his wounds.
Despite Hezbollah’s disavowal of the cross-border attacks, Israel claimed to target the party in retaliatory strikes after both incidents. On March 22, Israel responded to the first strike with a wave of bombardments across southern Lebanon, killing at least eight people, including one child. A week later, Israel targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time since the ceasefire began in a pre-dawn strike on an apartment in the Sfeir neighborhood that killed four people, including a father and son who were Hezbollah members, and injured seven others.
A possible link: Lebanon’s arrests of the three Hamas’ members came after Jordan’s announcement on Tuesday that it had arrested 16 individuals linked to the Muslim Brotherhood – some of whom were trained in Lebanon – and accused of planning attacks from Jordanian territory. Hamas, it is worth noticing, is considered the most powerful armed movement within the Muslim Brotherhood network.
On Tuesday evening, Jordanian news outlets published confessions from six of the arrested individuals, three of whom stated they had visited Lebanon as part of the preparation for the attack. “We were instructed, along with another comrade, to travel to Lebanon, where we were to meet an official on site,” one of the detainees said, confirming activities were based in Lebanon. “He was managing the entire operation.” Once in Beirut, the suspect added, the two men were made to take a lie detector test before being transferred to a workshop equipped with manual machines and technicians near the capital, where they underwent training in making explosives. Other suspects report meeting a Lebanese commander in Saudi Arabia, without further details on his role within the cell.
According to security sources, however, these arrests are mostly linked to the unclaimed attacks on Israel last month, when, in two cases about one week apart, three and then two rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward Israel. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the launches. None of the rockets landed in Israel, but the event resulted in heavy and disproportionate retaliation from Israel.
Those arrested in Lebanon have since been cleared of any connection to the rocket launches, but the investigation continues, to determine if there is a link between these individuals and the events in Jordan. The Lebanese Army, on its hand, released a statement confirming the arrest of a group of suspects, without mentioning any link to the incidents in Jordan.
Lokman Slim’s case reopened: The chamber of the Court of Cassation responsible for requests to dismiss magistrates, presided over by Randa Kfoury, decided last month to transfer the case of the assassination of writer and political activist Lokman Slim from Beirut Investigating Judge Bilal Halaoui to another judge. This decision, issued shortly before Judge Kfoury’s retirement on March 27, is expected to allow the case to be reopened. In February, just days before the fourth anniversary of Lokman Slim’s assassination, Judge Halaoui had issued an indictment stating he was unable to identify the killers, sparking an outcry in Lebanon. According to the judge, the security services “were unable to reveal the perpetrator’s identity due to a lack of data.”
The Cassation Chamber, which also includes Judge Samih Sfeir and Judge Fadi Aridi, examined the case following an appeal filed on November 26, 2024, by lawyers Diala Shehadeh and Moussa Khoury on behalf of the victim’s family. The ruling of the Court of Cassation decreed that the case must be transferred to another magistrate, who is to be appointed by the acting president of the Beirut Court of Appeal. Judge Habib Rizkallah currently holds that position on an interim basis. As the judiciary is about to undergo judicial reshuffling, it is not yet clear whether Rizkallah will make the appointment himself or if his successor will handle it. The magistrate could not be immediately reached for comment.
Lokman Slim, known for his opposition to Hezbollah, was shot dead in southern Lebanon in February 2021. He was one of the rare critical voices against the party within his community. Before his assassination, Slim had repeatedly stated that he had received threats from Hezbollah. At the fourth commemoration of the assassination, Lokman Slim’s family denounced the suspension of the investigation. In 2023, UN special rapporteurs had already criticized the slow pace of the proceedings.
Growing tensions along Lebanon-Syria border: Despite a recent decline in tensions along the Lebanese-Syrian border following deadly clashes in mid-March and early February, Syria’s newly deployed security forces briefly abducted four Lebanese-Syrian young men from the al-Radi family in Mashari’ al-Qaa, in the Beqaa Valley, last week. According to local sources, the men were taken into Syria, interrogated for several hours over alleged smuggling activities, and later released.
While the incident underscores the ongoing risks of a border still unsecured by the Lebanese Army, it appears to differ in nature from the earlier clashes that had raised serious security concerns. Lebanon and Syria share a 330-kilometer border, much of which remains undemarcated, contributing to ongoing security challenges for Syria’s new authorities and Lebanon’s recently elected president and government.
In mid-March, clashes erupted between Lebanese Shia clans – known for their involvement in smuggling and ties to Hezbollah – and forces affiliated with the new Syrian regime near the border, leaving at least 10 people dead on both sides. The violence began after four armed men linked to Syrian authorities attempted to infiltrate Lebanese territory near the border town of al-Qasr.
Later that month, Lebanon and Syria’s Defense Ministers met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they agreed on the need for enhanced security and military coordination along their shared border, including steps toward demarcation. On April 14, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Damascus, where he met with Syria’s new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, to discuss bilateral relations.
The Qatari support: On Wednesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with Qatar’s emir, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, during an official visit to Doha. Following the meeting, the two leaders agreed, according to statements by the Lebanese presidency, on the “importance of preserving civil peace in Lebanon” and ensuring that the monopoly of arms is in the hands of the Lebanese state. Aoun and the Qatari emir initially met in an extended meeting before retreating for a private conversation. Their meeting concluded with an official lunch, as reported by Baabda’s X account.
Among the key announcements, Qatar confirmed it would renew its $60 million donation to support the Lebanese Army, a pledge initially made in 2022. It will also provide 162 military vehicles to help the Lebanese Army fulfill its national duties, maintain stability and secure borders across the country.
Both leaders stressed the national role of the Lebanese Army and the need to implement Resolution 1701. This Security Council resolution, which ended the 2006 war in Lebanon, is a key part of the truce reached at the end of November between Hezbollah and Israel. According to the joint statement, the Emir of Qatar reassured the Lebanese president that Qatar stands by Lebanon and its institutions, reaffirming Doha’s commitment to Lebanon’s stability and territorial unity. President Joseph Aoun expressed his gratitude.
Regionally, the two leaders reiterated their strong support for the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions. They also renewed support for Syria’s unity, sovereignty and independence.
On the other hand, concerning the energy sector’s support, the Qatari Emir emphasized the historic importance of Aoun’s visit to Doha as part of the ongoing cooperation between the two countries. “What matters to us is that Lebanon is stable,” he said, noting that the current atmosphere is “favorable” for stability both domestically and internationally. He added that Qatar is ready to assist Beirut in areas such as electricity, energy and other sectors. Thani also pointed to the election of Aoun in January and the subsequent formation of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government after a two-year presidential vacancy as a chance to activate this support. Qatar was part of the ‘quintet’ – which also includes the US, France, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt – that helped resolve Lebanon’s presidential impasse, which had persisted since October 2022.
Iraq summons Lebanese ambassador: Iraq has summoned Lebanon’s ambassador over remarks by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun concerning Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), known as the Hashed al-Shaabi, Iraq’s state news agency said on Wednesday citing a statement from the Foreign Ministry. Ahead of his visit to Qatar, Aoun said during an interview with The New Arab published on Wednesday that Lebanon would not emulate Iraq’s PMF – a state security force made up of several armed factions, including some that have enjoyed the backing of Iran – when it came to enforcing the state’s monopoly on weapons.
For the first time, Aoun – who has consistently emphasized the importance of the Lebanese state maintaining a monopoly on arms – said that “Hezbollah fighters could join the army if they have the qualifications and pass the required tests to integrate into the institution.” He clarified, however, that this did not mean “reproducing the experience of Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi by integrating Hezbollah into the army or allowing Hezbollah to become an independent unit within it.”
Many Hezbollah critics slammed Aoun’s comments regarding Hezbollah’s integration into the army. Meanwhile, Baghdad reacted to what it viewed as an implicit criticism of its security structure.
The Lebanese ambassador, for his part, reaffirmed the strength of bilateral relations and pledged to convey the Ministry’s position to Aoun. He also expressed Lebanon’s commitment to addressing the issue “in a spirit of preserving and developing bilateral ties,” adding that Beirut relies on Iraq’s role in Lebanon’s recovery, alongside support from other Arab countries.
Lebanon and Iraq cooperate on several fronts, particularly in the energy sector. Since 2019, the two countries have operated a barter agreement with deferred payments, under which Lebanon’s state electricity company, Electricité du Liban (EDL), receives fuel from Iraq. Moreover, during the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah, many Lebanese residents from areas heavily targeted by Israeli strikes sought refuge in Iraq.
Hariri steps out of municipal elections: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri will not participate in the municipal elections, despite having announced two months ago the return of his Future Movement for “all upcoming political junctures.” “Convinced that municipal elections are local and non-political in nature, I have instructed the Future Movement not to take part in this vote, in any village or city,” Hariri said in a statement released last Wednesday. The text added that the decision “also applies to Beirut,” where Hariri’s camp will not be involved in the municipal elections, neither by fielding candidates nor by supporting any lists or individuals.
This decision has raised concerns over the preservation of the Muslim-Christian parity on Beirut’s municipal council, a framework that was established in 1998 by the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and maintained ever since.
Saad Hariri’s move may also signal that the conditions for his political comeback, particularly a green light from Saudi Arabia, are not yet in place. The announcement from Lebanon’s leading political Sunni figure coincided with the second visit to Beirut by Riyadh’s envoy, Yazid bin Farhan.
A safe return for Syrian refugees: The ministerial committee responsible for following up on the Syrian refugee issue called on Wednesday, after a meeting, for the “safe and dignified return of displaced persons” to Syria in accordance with a preliminary plan they are ready to discuss with the Syrian authorities. According to the Grand Serail office, “the meeting focused on the process of gathering accurate information on the number of Syrian refugees and their legal, social, and economic status.” The committee subsequently examined a “preliminary plan for the safe and dignified return of displaced persons to their country, emphasizing that Lebanon is ready to implement it in cooperation with the Syrian authorities and relevant international organizations.”
The Grand Serail statement noted that a meeting was held to this end between the head of the committee, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, and Social Affairs Minister Hanine al-Sayed, with a Syrian delegation led by Labor and Social Affairs Minister Hind Kabawat. This meeting, for which the date was not specified, allowed for a discussion “of all aspects of the issue of returning displaced Syrians.”
The committee monitoring the refugee issue is composed of Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Defense Minister Michel Mensa, Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, Social Affairs Minister Hanine Sayed, Justice Minister Adel Nassar, and Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar. Foreign Affairs Minister Joe Raggi did not attend the meeting as he was traveling.
Lebanon hosts 1.5 million people who fled the civil war that broke out in Syria in 2011, according to official estimates. Lebanon has developed a quickly implementable plan to ensure the return of 400,000 Syrians. From Damascus, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called on Tuesday to “facilitate the safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees to their lands and homes, with the help of the UN, as well as friendly and brotherly countries.”
In Palestine
Half a million more displaced: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that 69 percent of the Gaza Strip is under active Israeli displacement orders. The Israeli army issued at least 20 displacement orders between March 18 and April 14, UNRWA said in a press statement last Sunday, adding that the agency “currently operates 115 shelters across Gaza, housing more than 90,000 displaced people.” UNRWA stressed the need for an early ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies into Gaza.
Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2. It then ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on the enclave.
Meanwhile, at least 29 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza on Sunday, according to the Civil Defense in Gaza. In central Gaza, 10 people were killed and some others wounded by an Israeli airstrike on a residential house in the Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense, said. In southern Gaza, a Palestinian woman was killed and four others wounded in an Israeli drone attack on a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis city, and four others were killed in another two separate Israeli attacks on the city, Basal added.
The renewed Israeli attacks have so far killed 1,827 Palestinians and injured 4,828 others, Gaza health authorities said Sunday, adding the death toll in the enclave since the war began in October 2023 has risen to 51,201, with 116,869 injured. Israel’s expanding ground and air attacks, meanwhile, have displaced more than half a million people since March 18, according to an estimate shared by the United Nations.
An indefinite occupation: Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, said the Israeli occupation of swathes of Gaza’s border territory would continue “indefinitely,” comparing it with the ongoing invasions of Lebanese and Syrian border territory. The Israeli army, in a statement released last Wednesday, estimated that the territory it has razed and rendered uninhabitable along Gaza’s border to establish the buffer zone spans 30 percent of the enclave’s total territory. As of April 8, 66 percent of the territory has become inaccessible to the population – regardless of whether evacuation orders were issued – according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The moves are part of what appears to be a broader push toward a full military occupation of Gaza aimed at dismantling Hamas. Palestinian residents continue to live under the threat of forced displacement to other countries, a scenario tied to a controversial plan put forward in January by US President Donald Trump and backed by the Israeli government.
Similarly, the Israeli army has invaded the buffer zones in the Syrian Golan Heights and has established military structure in the region after the fall of the Assad regime. It also continues to occupy various regions in southern Lebanon that it deems “strategic,” following its most recent war with Hezbollah.
The same day, an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Gaza City killed a journalist and 10 members of her family, including several children, continuing the torrential Israeli bombardments that have killed more than 1,300 people since Israel resumed its war on Gaza.
PIJ releases video of Israeli hostage: Also on Wednesday, Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad (PIJ) released a video showing a hostage held in Gaza appealing to the Israeli and US governments and lamenting a lack of food and water in the enclave. The Israeli media identified him as Rom Braslavski from Jerusalem, who was abducted by Hamas-led militants from the Nova music festival during their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. In the nearly seven-minute video, the hostage lifts his shirt to reveal scratch marks on his skin, he gestures frequently with his hands as he pleads for his release, and also describes enduring severe conditions, citing a lack of food and water. Since March 2, Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Earlier last week, Hamas announced it was studying an Israeli proposal for a 45-day truce and the resumed entry of supplies into Gaza in exchange for the release of half its remaining hostages, while reiterating its demand for Israel to withdraw from the enclave. Israel has ramped up its attempts to pressure Hamas to cede to its truce terms since blocking the entry of food, medicine, fuel and other supplies as the first phase of the ceasefire expired.
However, Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, reiterated the continuation of the aid block, stating: “Israel’s policy is clear: no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza, and blocking this aid is one of the main pressure levers preventing Hamas from using it as a tool with the population.”
While calling for a definitive end to the war and stating repeatedly that it is willing to relinquish power in Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement, Hamas has seen its credibility further eroded by the deteriorating situation on the ground. Since March 18, forced displacements and Israeli air and ground offensive have resumed in the enclave, as Israel states that it seeks to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining 59 hostages – 35 of whom are believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities.
Hamas faces growing dissent: As the Palestinian militant movement prepares to respond to the latest Israeli ceasefire proposal for the war in Gaza, popular demonstrations that began on March 24 have continued across the enclave. Amplified on social media, they have shown Gaza residents holding signs reading: ‘For the love of God, Hamas out’ and ‘We want the end of the war.’ The outpouring of anger has been particularly visible in northern Gaza, an area heavily targeted by Israeli military operations, underscoring what appears to be a weakening of Hamas, which is struggling to project an image of unity.
“After they failed to stop the protest, Hamas sent masked members to hijack it. They are seen hiding their faces and holding signs that say, ‘Beit Lahia with the resistance,’ but the protesters kicked them out,” reported Palestinian political analyst Khalil Sayegh on his X account, as many users online opposed to Hamas joined in to amplify the movement. According to The Washington Post, several protest participants received phone threats or were summoned by the group’s internal security services – some of which allegedly ended in assassinations. Last month, Hamas fighters reportedly beat Palestinian citizen Oday Rabay to death after he defended his cousin, who had been threatened by members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
“It is unacceptable and reprehensible to exploit tragic humanitarian conditions, whether to promote suspicious political objectives or to absolve the criminal aggressor, the occupation and its army, of any responsibility,” Hamas senior official Bassem Naim said in a statement published at the end of March. Since then, however, the group has faced an escalating cash shortage that has prevented it from paying its fighters and many senior officials. Since the start of Ramadan, some political staff have received only about half their salaries – between $200 and $300 per month on average – according to Arab intelligence sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. Moreover, in its latest strikes, the Israeli military killed members of the Palestinian group responsible for distributing cash to senior movement figures, Arab intelligence officials told The Wall Street Journal. Others have reportedly been forced into hiding.
Heavy restrictions in occupied West Bank: Palestinian Christians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem have marked a second somber Easter under punishing conditions and Israel’s ongoing onslaught. In the Gaza Strip, where no food or aid has been allowed in by the Israeli military for nearly 50 days, people observed Easter on Sunday at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City amid death and destruction. Easter celebrations were limited to religious rituals as families cancelled other gatherings fearing more bombs would be dropped by Israeli warplanes, which killed dozens of people in the besieged enclave on Sunday.
Israeli authorities prevented many Christians, including Palestinians, from accessing holy sites for Easter in the occupied West Bank. Israeli police clashed with Christian worshippers and even a priest as they tried to access the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in occupied East Jerusalem – which was in effect turned by Israeli authorities into a military outpost. Only about 6,000 Palestinians from the West Bank received permits to attend Easter services this year, and even the representative of the Vatican in Palestine was denied entry into the church.
Trained for post-war Gaza: A security source revealed to Ultra Palestine on Sunday that 300 Palestinian Authority (PA) security personnel will be sent to Egypt this week as part of an agreement between the Egyptian leadership and the Palestinian Authority, based on the Egyptian plan presented at the Arab Summit. The group includes 100 police officers, 100 National Security personnel, 50 Preventive Security personnel, and 50 intelligence officers.
The personnel will undergo two months of training in Egypt, with strict instructions issued to them, emphasizing the importance of the mission and forbidding any refusal to participate under penalty of liability. The personnel are required to be graduates of Egyptian police colleges, and their tasks remain unclear, though there is speculation about the Palestinian Authority taking control of Gaza’s Rafah crossing.
Additionally, President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree on March 17, restructuring the General Administration of Border Crossings into the General Authority of Border Crossings, granting it a legal and financial role under the Ministry of Interior.
The plan includes a several-phase reconstruction process worth tens of billions of dollars – and is supposed to pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state. It would also see Hamas give up its governance of the Gaza Strip to be replaced by the PA. Last month, Hamas reiterated its agreement to an Egyptian proposal from last year regarding the formation of a Community Support Committee led by Palestinian factions, which would assume management of post-war Gaza. It said that it would be willing to hand over governance to such a committee. But Egypt’s plan also includes the Palestinian resistance handing over its weapons, which Hamas has rejected.
In The Region
The Iranian talks: Diplomatic visits are intensifying ahead of the second round of talks last Saturday on the Iranian nuclear program. On Thursday, Steve Witkoff, the White House’s special envoy for the Middle East and chief nuclear negotiator, traveled to Paris alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where their discussions covered both Ukraine and Iran.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Washington to address tariffs and prepare for US Vice President J.D. Vance’s upcoming Easter trip to Rome, scheduled from Friday to Sunday. The Iran-US nuclear talks were held in Rome and mediated, once again, by Oman, which hosted the first meeting last weekend. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai stated that the two delegations were seated in two separate rooms at the Omani ambassador’s residence in Rome, with the Gulf Sultanate’s Foreign Minister overseeing the mediation. Both Iranian state television and the Tasnim news agency reported a “constructive atmosphere.”
On the eve of the talks, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, arrived in Tehran to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Grossi is staying through Thursday to confer with the head of Iran’s national atomic agency, while Araghchi, after his meeting with Grossi, traveled to Moscow on Thursday, where he delivered a letter from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to President Vladimir Putin. That same day, Saudi Defense Minister Khaled bin Salman arrived in Tehran for talks with Khamenei. With so much at stake, Saturday’s negotiations in Rome could determine whether a deal is reached – or if military intervention becomes a more likely outcome.
Iran and the United States are scheduled to meet again on April 26 in Oman for a third round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program, following Rome’s indirect discussions that helped “move the negotiations forward,” according to Tehran. According to Omani diplomacy, Tehran and Washington are seeking a “fair, lasting and binding” agreement that would ensure “an Iran without nuclear weapons and without sanctions.”
This marks the second meeting at this level since the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 under Donald Trump’s first presidency from the international agreement that had imposed limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Since his return to the White House, Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, with which the United States has had no diplomatic relations since 1980. In March, he called on Tehran to negotiate a new deal but threatened to bomb Iran if diplomacy failed. However, Trump stated Thursday that he was “not in a hurry” to resort to military options. “I think Iran wants to talk,” he emphasized.
The military option: The military intervention is instead favored by Israel, which fears that a nuclear agreement may not be sufficient and could be circumvented by Iran. The Islamic Republic adhered to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) until the US withdrew unilaterally during President Donald Trump’s first term. However, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the most right-wing in Israel’s history, remains steadfast. Following the weakening of the ‘Axis of Resistance’ and in light of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Israel views this moment as an opportune time to pursue one of its primary objectives: the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program. This is a red line for Tehran, which could only be crossed through the use of force.
To this end, Tel Aviv has prepared several military plans to target Iranian sites as early as next month. These plans have so far been blocked by the US President, who seeks to allow diplomacy a chance, according to reports published Thursday by the New York Times. Almost all the options involve American support, the paper reveals, not only to help defend Israel from expected retaliations but particularly to carry out successful strikes. However, while Israel believed it could convince Washington – especially after the US sent military reinforcements to the region in recent weeks – some figures within the Trump administration have expressed doubts about the chances of success. The primary goal was to delay Iran’s nuclear weapons development by a year or more, but concerns remain over the risks of a regional war.
For now, despite conflicting statements from US officials – alternately warming up and cooling off the possibility of Iran enriching uranium – the primary goal remains to reach a diplomatic agreement. To this end, Washington is ramping up its pressure tactics. On Wednesday, new sanctions targeted a Chinese entity involved in refining Iranian oil, which has long been a key source of revenue for Iran and subject to Western restrictions.
US pressure targets Yemen: Additionally, American strikes are intensifying against the Houthis in Yemen. A US military official told the Emirati newspaper The National that the US intends “to continue the campaign 24/7, to exert maximum pressure against Houthi terrorists.”
Since March 15, Washington has carried out almost daily bombings of Yemeni militants and is even supporting plans for a ground offensive by the internationally recognized government, with backing from Gulf countries, according to reports from Bloomberg. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which resumed ties with the Islamic Republic in 2023 and aim to stabilize the region in order to diversify their economies, have denied any involvement. Given their strategic position in the event of a broader conflict, Gulf states are betting on diplomatic routes: an approach that appears to be understood by the American President, who chose Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip.
Meanwhile, last Thursday US air strikes on the Ras Issa oil port on the Red Sea killed 74 people, mainly workers at the port, according to an updated toll from Yemeni Health Ministry. The Ministry spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi said 171 people were injured in Thursday’s strikes, according to preliminary figures, with rescue teams continuing efforts to search for victims. Alasbahi also said the preliminary death toll included five paramedics. There were also “50 wounded workers and employees at the Ras Issa oil port, following the American aggression,” he said on X before Friday’s attacks raised the toll further and ongoing rescue operations recovered more bodies from the wreckage. “The death toll is likely to rise as body parts are still being identified,” he added.
Ras Issa terminal has a storage capacity of three million barrels and was the first port built for oil exports from Yemen, around 40 years ago. The US military said it had destroyed the fuel port on Thursday as part of its campaign against the Houthis. Following this raid, the US air force attacked the strategic infrastructure near Hodeida again on Friday while rescue operations were still ongoing, according to the Houthis.
A US withdrawal from Syria: More than four months after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the White House is now considering withdrawing the bulk of US troops stationed in Syria, according to two American officials cited by Reuters. Former President Donald Trump had posted on his Truth Social account December 7, 2024, a day before the fall of Assad, “The United States shouldn’t have anything to do there. It’s not our war. Let them fend for themselves. Do not intervene!”. In addition, “the Department of Defense regularly reallocates its forces based on operational needs and contingencies,” a US official told al-Monitor on April 15, highlighting the “flexible nature of the overall US defense posture.”
Roughly 2,000 US troops are currently deployed in Syria, mostly in the northeast, where they support local partners, including the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in operations against the Islamic State group. According to Israeli outlet Ynet, Washington has informed Israeli officials that a gradual withdrawal could begin within two months. One US official said troop numbers could be halved, down to about 1,000, along with a proportional reduction in military bases, rolling back the buildup from the end of President Joe Biden’s term.
Kurdish allies in limbo: An American withdrawal could ignite tensions between two key US allies – Israel and Turkey – as they vie for influence in post-Assad Syria. Israel, strongly opposed to the US pullback, hopes to contain Ankara’s growing reach and preserve a deterrent against regional threats. Turkey, meanwhile, aims to curtail Kurdish autonomy in Syria’s northeast – an area backed by the US.
For the SDF, any American disengagement leaves their fate uncertain as Syria’s transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa seeks to consolidate power in Damascus. While US officials remain in close contact with SDF leadership, no formal pledges have been made public. However, a preliminary agreement reached on March 10 between SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Sharaa reportedly had Washington’s approval. The agreement envisions a gradual integration of SDF-run institutions into Syria’s transitional government, including the management of oil facilities and border posts. In early April, Syrian government forces took back control of a major hydroelectric dam in the country’s north.
Still, the US appears to support the emergence of a regional coalition to confront jihadist threats. On April 12, officials from Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan announced the creation of a regional anti-IS coalition, including plans for a coordination center based in Syria. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said the alliance would act at Syria’s request and focus on intelligence sharing, border security, and rapid response operations. Meanwhile, the US seems to be repositioning. According to al-Arabiya, convoys carrying hundreds of American military vehicles recently crossed into Iraqi Kurdistan – signaling a shift, not a full retreat.
Mahmoud Abbas in Damascus: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Damascus for a diplomatic visit and met with Syria’s interim President, Ahmad al-Sharaa. Abbas, who is 89 years old, first met Sharaa in Cairo in early March on the sidelines of an Arab summit focused on post-war plans for Gaza. Earlier in January, a Palestinian delegation headed by Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa visited Syria and met Sharaa.
Abbas’ trip to Damascus on Friday, however, marked his first visit to Syria since 2007. The two were expected to discuss bilateral relations and latest developments surrounding the Palestinian cause, according to state media. Palestine’s Ambassador to Syria Samir Rifai confirmed the visit, but did not provide details on the agenda of the meeting.
Ongoing catastrophe in Sudan: Aid organizations are struggling to respond to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s North Darfur, being driven by attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the United Nations has warned. The UN humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, said in a statement released late on Sunday that access for humanitarian aid remains “dangerously restricted” in the capital city of el-Fasher and surrounding areas, where the RSF has launched multiple attacks over recent weeks.
Those attacks have triggered a mass exodus from Zamzam, Abu Shouk and other refugee camps, a situation which is “increasingly fluid” and “unpredictable” amid fears that the RSF is preparing a broader offensive.
Two years into its conflict with Sudan’s military government, the RSF attacked Zamzam – said to have sheltered up to 1 million people – and Abu Shouk camps just more than a week ago, killing at least 300 people and forcing up to 400,000 residents to flee 60 km across the desert to the town of Tawila.
In her statement, Nkweta-Salami said that up to 450,000 displaced people are being “increasingly cut off from supply chains and assistance, placing them at heightened risk of epidemic outbreaks, malnutrition and famine”. She called for UN and NGO actors to be granted “immediate and sustained access to these areas to ensure life-saving support can be delivered safely and at scale”.
Late last week, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) medical charity said that displaced people in Tawila were “facing an absolutely catastrophic situation”. Project coordinator Marion Ramstein said the NGO had seen more than 170 people with gunshot and blast injuries, 40 percent of them women and girls. New arrivals in Tawila told the AFP news agency that they had been robbed of their possessions by the paramilitaries, with several women reporting that they had been raped on the road.
Tawila is controlled by an armed group that has kept out of the conflict between the RSF and the regular army, which broke out in April 2023. The conflict has divided Sudan in two, with the army holding sway in the north and east, while the RSF controls most of Darfur and parts of the south. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, uprooted more than 12 million, and created what the UN has described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
What We’re Reading
False prophets and hollow reforms: Eli Khoury responded to Ramzi Abou Ismail’s opinion, published last week, entitled “The Real Fight: Not Over Kulluna Irada, But Over Transparency and Memory”. There’s a certain kind of political commentary that cloaks itself in the language of moral urgency, while quietly asking readers to suspend critical thinking, Khoury wrote: the latest NOW Lebanon article on Kulluna Irada is a textbook example. It frames a legitimate policy debate as a Manichaean battle between Good and Evil, with Kulluna Irada cast as heroic reformers – and anyone who questions them, by implication, either foolish or corrupt.
Lebanon maritime boundary dispute: The issue focuses on the complexities and dangers of the maritime border demarcation file with Cyprus, given the legal, political, and even military dispute between Turkey and Cyprus over the Cypriot blocks adjacent to the Lebanese blocks, Maan Barazy reported. Lebanon finds itself in a political dilemma, caught between Cypriot insistence – supported by France and Europe – on completing the demarcation, and Turkish opposition to it.
The return of third spaces: Lebanon has witnessed a growing trend of cafés evolving into dynamic social hubs that blend creativity, productivity, and community. These spaces are run under the concept of social and cultural cafes by serving coffee, combining bookshops, workshops, and co-working corners. Places like Joy of Beirut in Qoraytem, Soul of Beirut in Furn El-Chebbek, Curl Book and Coffee Shop in Badaro, which invites readers and writers alike into a cozy setting, reflect this shift. In Mar Mikhael, Beit Kanz integrates Palestinian cuisine with a space for storytelling and activism, while The Slow in Hazmieh offers a serene atmosphere for working, collaborating, or simply recharging. Rodayna Raydan wrote.
What is centrism: In Lebanon – and in much of the world – our political imagination is trapped. We are offered a familiar, almost ritualistic script: left versus right, resistance versus sovereignty, reformists versus establishment, and so on. We are made to believe that all political thought must fall somewhere on this rigid axis, and that to be in the “center” is merely to stand in the middle of the battlefield, trying to appease both sides. But this reading of centrism is not only incorrect, it is profoundly dangerous. It reduces political agency to a matter of balance, when it should be a matter of vision. It treats centrism as indecision, when in reality, it is discipline. The opinion of Ramzi Abou Ismail.
Du sud et de nous tous: An exciting selection of screenings from the Global South has filled Beirut’s newly-opened Metropolis cinema with new perspectives on the African continent, old – but revisited – ones on the Arab world, tribal songs, distant melodies, and a constant feeling of rediscovery, however painful, that tells: it could be us, the ones on the widely illuminated screen, Valeria Rando reported. That the staging of a sad reality forces us to come to terms with the phantasms of civil wars, enforced disappearances, the erasure and rewriting of collective memory. But also labour exploitation, lost traditions, blind thirst for progress, failed revolutions, irreversible shattering of the family nest. Knowing that only death, indeed, is the real constant: not hope, nor common geographies. That south is not a geographical concept, but a politicized state of mind.
