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Broad Participation Anticipated in Egypt’s Int’l Peace Summit

A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace shows Jordan's King Abdullah II (L) meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on October 19, 2023. (Photo by Chris Setian / Jordanian Royal Palace / AFP)
A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace shows Jordan's King Abdullah II (L) meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on October 19, 2023. (Photo by Chris Setian / Jordanian Royal Palace / AFP)
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Broad Participation Anticipated in Egypt’s Int’l Peace Summit

A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace shows Jordan's King Abdullah II (L) meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on October 19, 2023. (Photo by Chris Setian / Jordanian Royal Palace / AFP)
A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace shows Jordan's King Abdullah II (L) meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on October 19, 2023. (Photo by Chris Setian / Jordanian Royal Palace / AFP)

The international peace summit on Palestine, scheduled to be hosted by Cairo on Saturday, is expected to witness “broad and high-level international participation,” informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

This summit is part of an initiative that calls for “the urgent commencement of discussions on a comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state solution,” which has garnered support from China and Russia.

After a meeting of the National Security Council last Sunday under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt extended an invitation to host a regional and international summit on the Palestinian cause.

Sources cited by Egyptian media revealed that the attendance of several leaders from Arab and Gulf countries, as well as Türkiye, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and the UN Secretary-General, has been confirmed.

Egypt's vision to leverage the current worldwide attention on the Palestinian issue for discussions towards a comprehensive resolution and revitalizing the peace process has garnered substantial support from both Arab and international communities.

This was affirmed by Samaa Suleiman, the representative of the Foreign, Arab and African Affairs Committee in the Egyptian Senate.

Suleiman shed light on “the international community’s lack of neutrality in dealing with the Palestinians and the obstruction of any efforts aimed at accepting Palestine as a full member of the UN.”

Suleiman stressed “the importance of urging the international community to find a just, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Palestinian cause, based on the two-state solution, and activating the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people by establishing their independent state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital."

For his part, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly praised Egypt’s initiative to host an international summit on Saturday to address the ongoing crisis and coordinate international efforts to de-escalate tensions and violence.

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Arab World

Damascus Opens New Track in Ties with Beirut on Economy, Security

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and his accompanying delegation arrive to meet Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut (AFP)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and his accompanying delegation arrive to meet Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut (AFP)
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Damascus Opens New Track in Ties with Beirut on Economy, Security

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and his accompanying delegation arrive to meet Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut (AFP)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and his accompanying delegation arrive to meet Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut (AFP)

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani’s visit to Lebanon marked a new phase in bilateral relations, during which he reaffirmed Syria’s stance that “a new page is being opened with Lebanon” following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Al-Shaibani discussed security, judicial, economic, and diplomatic issues and, at the request of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, called for the appointment of a new Syrian ambassador to Lebanon to coordinate matters between the Lebanese and Syrian embassies in Beirut and Damascus, after the suspension of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council.

The visit is the first by a senior Syrian official to neighboring Lebanon since Assad’s ouster in December 2024. Lebanese Foreign Ministry officials said the current Syrian authorities “respect Lebanon’s sovereignty” and the principle of “non-interference in its internal affairs.” Al-Shaibani told reporters, “We want to move past the obstacles of the past with Lebanon.”

High-Level Meetings, Notably Without Speaker Berri

On Thursday's visit, al-Shaibani was accompanied by Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Louais, the head of Syrian intelligence, Hussein al-Salama, and the assistant interior minister, Maj. Gen. Abdel Qader Tahan.

He met with President Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Lebanese Foreign Minister Joseph Raji. Notably, he did not meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, marking a break from the protocol followed by most foreign visitors.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Syrian delegation did not request a meeting with Berri, with the Syrians viewing the visit as “technical and administrative, not requiring a parliamentary meeting.”

Though the visit appeared primarily “security-judicial” in nature, following three judicial delegations to Lebanon over the past two months, economic issues featured prominently.

Ministry sources said al-Shaibani emphasized the importance of economic and trade cooperation, as well as investment opportunities in Syria after the lifting of international sanctions. He also stressed the continuation of joint committees and meetings addressing pending security and judicial matters.

Aoun Calls for Enhanced Cooperation

The Lebanese presidency said President Aoun told al-Shaibani that “Lebanon seeks to strengthen ties with its brotherly neighbor on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference, and to activate cooperation in political, economic, and security fields to achieve stability in both Lebanon and Syria.”

Aoun stressed that “deepening and developing bilateral relations requires the formation of joint committees to review all pending files, particularly agreements between the two countries that need reassessment and evaluation.”

Regarding the suspension of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council, Aoun said it “necessitates the activation of diplomatic relations,” adding, “We await the appointment of a new Syrian ambassador to Lebanon to follow up on all matters through the Lebanese and Syrian embassies in Beirut and Damascus.”

He also noted that “the situation along the Lebanese-Syrian border is better than before, and the key issues requiring attention, as agreed with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, include land and maritime borders, the gas line, and the issue of detainees. We will work on these matters based on our shared interests.” Aoun added: “The region has endured enough wars and wasted resources that should instead be invested to allow our peoples to live with dignity, after enduring so much suffering and instability.” He renewed an invitation for Al-Sharaa to visit Lebanon.

Economic and Trade Cooperation on the Agenda

At the start of the meetings, al-Shaibani highlighted “the historical ties between Lebanon and Syria, which should be deepened and past grievances corrected, particularly those that harmed Syria’s image.” He called for “enhanced cooperation in all fields, especially economic and trade, given the new openness to Syria following the lifting of sanctions, from which Lebanon can benefit.”

Al-Shaibani reaffirmed Syria’s respect for Lebanese sovereignty and commitment to strong, cooperative relations. “We look forward to closing the page on the past because we want to build the future,” he said. “We are ready to discuss any pending files, whether economic or security-related. Our peoples have suffered wars and tragedies—let us try peace.” He also renewed the invitation for President Aoun to visit Syria.

Executive-Level Talks at Government Palace

At the Government Palace, al-Shaibani and his delegation met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in meetings focused on practical coordination. The Lebanese government said the discussions were “positive and constructive,” covering all aspects of bilateral relations, affirming the mutual desire to open a new chapter based on respect, good neighborliness, and protection of each country’s sovereignty and national decision-making.

The talks addressed shared issues including border and checkpoint management, smuggling prevention, and facilitating the safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees in coordination with the United Nations and friendly countries. They also covered Syrian detainees in Lebanon and missing Lebanese in Syria, as well as reviewing bilateral agreements to better align with changing circumstances. Opportunities to enhance economic cooperation and contribute to reconstruction in Syria, leveraging Lebanese expertise, were also discussed.

Salam emphasized Lebanon’s commitment to “building balanced and sound relations with Syria, based on cooperation between two independent states bound by geography and history,” stressing that openness and sincere dialogue are the only path to stability in both countries and the region.

Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Metri said after the meetings that “we discussed Lebanese-Syrian relations and agreed to address all matters swiftly and in good faith. The political will of both our Syrian brothers and Lebanon is to resolve all issues without taboos or bargaining.”

Al-Shaibani Highlights Opportunities and Progress

Al-Shaibani highlighted several significant opportunities in the region, in both Syria and Lebanon, "across all economic and investment areas.” He noted that the issues discussed “require in-depth discussion and technical committees to advance calm and stable relations and open the door to strategic partnerships,” noting progress on speeding up the release of Syrian detainees in Roumieh prison and plans for the dignified return of refugees to their homes. He also stressed the need to secure borders to enhance security and stability.

He added that joint security and intelligence coordination will be strengthened, and technical and economic committees will be established to boost cooperation in both private and public sectors.

“This is a historic and highly important visit for both parties,” al-Shaibani said.

“The relationship between Syria and Lebanon today is moving from the previous era under the former regime to a relationship based on respect between brothers and neighbors.”

Arab World

Syrians Urge New People's Assembly to Prioritize Living Conditions

People cast their votes at a polling station in Damascus last Sunday (AFP)
People cast their votes at a polling station in Damascus last Sunday (AFP)
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Syrians Urge New People's Assembly to Prioritize Living Conditions

People cast their votes at a polling station in Damascus last Sunday (AFP)
People cast their votes at a polling station in Damascus last Sunday (AFP)

Syrians say they want their new People’s Assembly to prioritize improving living conditions and act as a genuine voice for the people.

Citizens interviewed by Asharq Al-Awsat also urged the incoming parliament to embrace transparency and accountability, update outdated laws, and pass legislation guaranteeing women’s rights in employment and political participation.

Local sources in Sweida province—home to a Druze majority in southern Syria—and in areas under Kurdish-led self-administration in the north and northeast, meanwhile, highlighted the absence of representation for residents there, after the Damascus government excluded their regions from the voting process.

Rebuilding Trust

Houda Atassi, Co-Founder & Chairwoman at International Humanitarian Relief and a civil society activist, said the new parliament faces a “national responsibility” to rebuild trust between citizens and state institutions.

“The People’s Assembly must place people’s concerns and livelihoods at the heart of its priorities,” Atassi told Asharq Al-Awsat, calling for genuine inclusion of civil society and women as “essential partners in decision-making, not just symbolic participants.”

She expressed hope that the new body would enact laws promoting social justice, safeguarding women’s rights to work and political participation, and empowering them economically and socially. She urged the parliament to demonstrate transparency and accountability and to serve as a sincere voice for Syrians aspiring to a fair and capable state.

Sunday’s parliamentary vote was the first since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime late last year. A total of 1,578 candidates competed for 140 seats. Meanwhile, President Ahmed al-Sharaa will appoint the remaining third of the 210-seat chamber, as stipulated in the constitutional declaration.

On Monday, the Higher Election Committee announced the final results. Its spokesman, Nawar Najmeh, said men won about 96% of the seats, compared with 4% for women—a disparity he described as “the main shortcoming of the electoral process.”

Atassi attributed the weak female representation to intertwined political, social, and cultural factors, noting that in many rural or conservative areas, “voters still hesitate to elect women because entrenched patriarchal norms link leadership and political representation with men rather than women.”

She said many electoral lists included women only for formality’s sake, without real backing or campaigning. “Ironically,” she added, “a large proportion of women voters end up casting ballots for male candidates—whether due to family influence, social security concerns, or political pragmatism—undermining the chances of female contenders who had counted on the women’s vote.”

Atassi said women’s visible presence in polling stations reflected civic awareness but had yet to translate into political trust or tangible empowerment at the ballot box.

Focus on Living Standards and Services

In Damascus, resident Ibrahim al-Fayyad said he hoped the new parliament would modernize legislation to better serve citizens, enable the government to assist them, and improve their deteriorating living standards—as well as basic services such as electricity, water, and telecommunications.

The vote took place amid rising prices, which have climbed again after dropping by roughly 50 percent following the previous regime’s fall. The government has since raised public sector salaries by 200 percent, bringing the monthly wage of a top-tier employee to around $150. Studies, however, estimate that a small Syrian family needs at least $500 per month to cover basic expenses.

Information engineer Mohammed Abuo Sweid said he hoped the parliament would push for digital governance and automation across public and private sectors to “save time, effort, and costs, and reduce the financial burden on the state.”

Golan Residents Call for Safeguarding National Sovereignty

The occupied Golan Heights also featured prominently in Syrians’ expectations. Tayyib Mahmoud Ahmad Rahban, a resident of the area, told Asharq Al-Awsat he hoped the parliament would “not concede a grain of Syria’s soil or ratify any treaty that compromises our rights as Syrians, and as Golan natives in particular.”

Rahban said he wanted the assembly to truly represent “the millions of Syrians who have endured years of death, displacement, and detention.”

In southern Daraa province, meanwhile, resident Mohammed Abdulrahman called on the parliament to support the economy, small and medium enterprises, and to introduce legislation fostering a safe investment environment that would encourage Syrian capital to return. He also urged lawmakers to “open prospects for a better future for youth and protect their rights.”

Druze Regret Exclusion from Vote

In Sweida, which was excluded from the elections amid tension between Damascus and local armed factions aligned with Druze religious leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a senior Druze source expressed regret that residents could not cast their votes or choose representatives to participate in national decision-making.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said it was “only natural” that the province did not take part in the vote following July’s deadly clashes between Druze fighters on one side and Bedouin and tribal groups alongside government forces on the other. He said those events had caused “a total loss of confidence in the current authorities.”

Political activist Maysa al-Abdullah, also from Sweida, told Asharq Al-Awsat that locals were more concerned with “how to shelter the displaced and cope with bread and electricity shortages” than with parliamentary participation.

Kurdish Areas Unmoved by the Vote

In Kurdish-administered northeastern Syria, where relations with Damascus remain strained, election day passed “like any other day,” said Imad Majoul, a Kurdish resident of Amuda in rural Hasakah.

“People only heard about the elections on social media,” he said, adding that he felt “nothing had changed politically in Syria,” describing the current phase as “a replica of the previous one but with new faces and terminology.”

As in Sweida, the Damascus government excluded Kurdish-held areas from taking part in the parliamentary elections.

Arab World

Hundreds of Thousands of Palestinians Return to Gaza City as Hamas Deploys Forces

A Palestinian woman holds her child beside piles of rubble while heading toward Gaza City on Friday. (AFP)
A Palestinian woman holds her child beside piles of rubble while heading toward Gaza City on Friday. (AFP)
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Hundreds of Thousands of Palestinians Return to Gaza City as Hamas Deploys Forces

A Palestinian woman holds her child beside piles of rubble while heading toward Gaza City on Friday. (AFP)
A Palestinian woman holds her child beside piles of rubble while heading toward Gaza City on Friday. (AFP)

As dawn broke Friday, thousands of residents from Gaza City and the northern Strip streamed toward the Nuwairi area and the coastal al-Rashid Street, hoping to return to their homes after nearly a month of displacement.

Israeli forces initially blocked their passage before withdrawing around noon, clearing the way for hundreds of thousands to pour northward on foot and in vehicles.

The Israeli army announced that the ceasefire had taken effect at 12 p.m. local time in both Palestine and Saudi Arabia, though the truce was meant to begin earlier after Israel’s government voted overnight to approve the agreement.

Joy and ruin

Videos posted by journalists, activists, and remaining residents showed scenes of jubilation as Gazans made their way back through shattered neighborhoods. Despite the devastation, many said they were overjoyed simply to return.

Safaa al-Hannawi, 41, from Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City, said she had been waiting since early morning in Nuwairi near the Netzarim axis, hoping to reach her home, uncertain whether it was completely destroyed or partially damaged as she had left it a month ago.

“I can’t describe how happy I am to be back in the spirit of my life,” she said, referring to Gaza City and her neighborhood. Al-Hannawi said she planned to bring her tent from Mawasi Khan Younis and live in it if her home was gone. “But I won’t leave the area again,” she added.

Elsewhere, Yassine al-Barawi, a resident of Al-Nasr district in Gaza City, loaded his belongings into his car and immediately headed north as soon as Israeli forces announced civilians could return. His house was still standing, though damaged.

“I’d rather live in what’s left of my home than in a tent on barren farmland with nothing to sustain life,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “When they said we could go back, I rushed to leave. I couldn’t believe it would actually happen, not after our first displacement that lasted more than a year and a half.”

Hours earlier, the roughly 130,000 people who remained in Gaza City had ventured out to survey what was left of their homes and neighborhoods, many reduced to rubble by Israeli operations in recent weeks.

Widespread destruction

Nour Yaghi, 37, from the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in northern Gaza City, said he reached his area early Friday after sheltering near Gaza’s port in recent weeks only to find it obliterated.

“The devastation is beyond description,” Yaghi said. “Our house and the neighboring ones are just piles of rubble. Seventy percent of Sheikh Radwan is gone, destroyed by booby-trapped military vehicles and airstrikes.”

Mousa al-Najjar from al-Shati camp said entire housing blocks had been flattened. “It will take months just to clear the main roads,” he said. “Anyone returning from the south won’t even recognize where their house once stood.”

According to Gaza’s municipality, more than 85 percent of the city has been destroyed. Medical sources said over 73 bodies were recovered from streets and homes in Gaza City after Israeli troops withdrew, while at least 20 more were found in Khan Younis.

Hamas forces reemerge

Hamas security forces were seen redeploying in parts of central and southern Gaza, as well as on the outskirts of Gaza City. The Interior Ministry in Gaza said its security services would begin restoring order in areas vacated by the Israeli army and “address the chaos the occupation sought to spread over the past two years.”

The Israeli military, meanwhile, warned residents to avoid several “highly dangerous” areas, including Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Shujaiyya, and parts of Khan Younis near the Philadelphi corridor and Rafah crossing.

Military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effi Defrin said Hamas “is no longer what it was when the war began two years ago. It has been defeated everywhere we fought it.” He urged civilians to stay away from Israeli-controlled zones to ensure their safety.

Gaza’s toll

In a statement marking the ceasefire, the Hamas-run Government Media Office accused Israel of committing “a full-scale genocide” in Gaza, using food, water, and medicine as weapons of war. It said Israel had destroyed 90 percent of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure and seized more than 80 percent of its territory through invasion and forced displacement.

The office estimated that Israel dropped more than 200,000 tons of explosives on Gaza and bombed the Mawasi area over 150 times despite designating it a “safe humanitarian zone.”

According to its figures, some 77,000 Palestinians were killed or remain missing, including more than 20,000 children and 12,500 women. About 67,000 bodies have been recovered, while 9,500 people remain unaccounted for. Over 1,000 infants under one year old were among the dead, including 450 newborns killed during the war, it said.

The report said more than 39,000 families were wiped out in airstrikes, and that women, children, and the elderly made up over half of all victims.

At least 1,670 medical workers, 140 civil defense members, 254 journalists, and more than 1,000 police and emergency responders were killed. Injuries totaled around 170,000, including thousands with amputations, paralysis, or blindness. Over 6,700 detainees, including medical and media staff, remain in Israeli custody under harsh conditions.

Gaza’s health system has “completely collapsed,” the office said, with 38 hospitals destroyed, hundreds of attacks on health facilities, and more than 788 assaults on medical services. Israel also destroyed 670 schools, 165 universities and educational institutions, killing 13,500 students, 830 teachers, and nearly 200 academics.

The statement added that 835 mosques were completely destroyed, several churches were damaged, and 40 cemeteries were razed. Israeli forces allegedly exhumed more than 2,450 bodies and established seven mass graves inside hospitals.

Nearly 300,000 housing units were demolished and 200,000 others heavily damaged, displacing about two million people. Many remain in tattered tents under dire humanitarian conditions.

The office accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon, keeping Gaza’s crossings closed for over 600 days and blocking thousands of aid trucks, resulting in more than 460 deaths from hunger and malnutrition. It estimated Gaza’s direct economic losses at over $70 billion after two years of war.