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At the Gates of Gaza, Aid Piles Up in Egypt

Rafah, the border crossing into Gaza that Egypt had promised to open on Friday, is the only crossing into the blockaded Palestinian territory that is not controlled by Israel. MOHAMMED ABED / AFP
Rafah, the border crossing into Gaza that Egypt had promised to open on Friday, is the only crossing into the blockaded Palestinian territory that is not controlled by Israel. MOHAMMED ABED / AFP
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At the Gates of Gaza, Aid Piles Up in Egypt

Rafah, the border crossing into Gaza that Egypt had promised to open on Friday, is the only crossing into the blockaded Palestinian territory that is not controlled by Israel. MOHAMMED ABED / AFP
Rafah, the border crossing into Gaza that Egypt had promised to open on Friday, is the only crossing into the blockaded Palestinian territory that is not controlled by Israel. MOHAMMED ABED / AFP

Food, medicines, water purifiers, hygiene products and blankets: the aid was piling in Egypt's Sinai region at El Arish airport, which even opened an extra landing strip to cope with deliveries.

Rafah, the border crossing into Gaza that Egypt had promised to open on Friday, is a few dozen kilometers to the east, said AFP.

It is the only crossing into the blockaded Palestinian territory that is not controlled by Israel.

On a visit to Cairo, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Thursday that there needed to be "rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access" after dire warnings about the impact of the sustained Israeli blockade.

Guterres said the Rafah crossing and El Arish airport "are not only critical, they are our only hope" and "the lifelines" for the people of Gaza.

Ahmed Ali, head of the Egyptian Red Crescent, told AFP his organization receives "two to three planes of aid a day, chartered by humanitarian agencies or states", who want to send food, water or medical supplies to the 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza.

As soon as aid is dropped off on the tarmac, the shipments are loaded onto trucks.

Israel, which has imposed a strict blockade on Gaza for 16 years and has declared a "complete siege" after the October 7 attack by the militant group Hamas on its soil, has agreed to allow the passage of aid.

Egyptian state-linked broadcaster Al Qahera News said the Rafah crossing would open on Friday.

But later Egypt said it needed more time to repair the roads that connect its territory to Gaza after four Israeli bombings of the crossing.

'Beyond catastrophic'
In the meantime, pallets loaded with aid are stored in warehouses in El Arish, the capital of North Sinai, said Ali.

As soon as the green light is given, 250 volunteers are ready to transport them to the border.

The UN World Food Program, which has already provided aid to 522,000 people since the start of the hostilities, said it has 951 tons of food at or on the way to Rafah -- enough to feed 488,000 people for one week, a spokesperson said.

On Thursday, an Emirati plane offloaded nine tons of UNICEF aid.

The situation in Gaza is "beyond catastrophic" with stocks almost empty after 13 days of war, said Sara Alzawqari, UNICEF spokeswoman for the Gulf.

"We have distributed nearly all our prepositioned supplies which were inside Gaza and have been working to keep the only functioning desalination plant in the entire Gaza Strip running in much-reduced capacity," she said, as food, water, fuel and power run short after Gaza's only power plant shut down.

'Time is running out'

Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, and killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death on the first day of the raid, according to Israeli officials. Israel says around 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control of the area under attack.

More than 3,700 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed across Gaza in relentless Israeli bombardments in retaliation for the attacks by the Palestinian group, according to the Hamas health ministry in Gaza.

UN agencies have warned food, water and fuel will soon run out in the besieged Palestinian territory.

"Medical supplies and medicines have also been provided to hospitals, but given the number of injuries, hospital beds and essential medicine -- including anesthetics -- are quickly running out," Alzawqari said.

"Time is running out and the numbers of casualties amongst children are rising," she added.

"We need an immediate humanitarian pause to ensure unhindered and safe access to children in need."

The deal struck by US President Joe Biden with Israel and Egypt will allow in 20 trucks.

The emergency director of the World Health Organization has called it "a drop in the ocean of need".

"It should be 2,000 trucks," Michael Ryan said.

While food, water and fuel are the priority, Alzawqari said UNICEF has slipped boxes of educational game kits into aid shipments, because children need to continue "playing and learning even during emergencies".

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Arab World

Syria: Former Assad Intelligence Deputy Arrested

Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 
Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 
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Syria: Former Assad Intelligence Deputy Arrested

Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 
Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab (SANA) 

Syria’s Counterterrorism Directorate has arrested Major General Qais Hassan al-Abd al-Rajab, the former deputy director of the General Intelligence Directorate (State Security) under the government of Bashar al-Assad, state news agency SANA reported.

According to a statement posted Friday by the Interior Ministry on Telegram, al-Abd al-Rajab is considered “one of the most prominent officials involved in committing serious violations” against residents of the Hajar al-Aswad district, the cities of Daraya and Moadamiyat al-Sham, and a number of towns and villages in Daraa province.

The ministry said the arrest followed “continuous security monitoring” of his movements and efforts to evade detection and legal prosecution.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the Counterterrorism Directorate, working in coordination with provincial internal security authorities, would continue pursuing suspects and bringing them before the courts.

The effort involves search, surveillance and investigative operations aimed at gathering information, he said, “in fulfillment of a promise we made to our patient people that there will be no leniency toward those whose hands are stained with blood.”

SANA said the arrest forms part of broader efforts by the Interior Ministry and other authorities to pursue and hold accountable those implicated in crimes and violations against Syrians, in line with the principles of ending impunity, advancing transitional justice and protecting the rights of victims’ families.

In a related development, 18 Syrian organizations and associations representing victims of abuses said in a position paper issued Thursday that the collapse of the Assad regime presents “a historic opportunity” to dismantle the legacy of torture and grave violations and to lay the foundations for justice and accountability.

The statement marked the third anniversary of the Dutch-Canadian case against Syria before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The organizations, including the Sednaya Prison Detainees Association, the Syrian Center for Justice and Accountability, and Huquqyat, praised the governments of the Netherlands and Canada for bringing the case before the court.

They said the lawsuit filed in 2023, along with the provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, represented “an important milestone” in efforts to secure justice for Syrian victims.

The groups also welcomed a June 2025 declaration by the Syrian government committing to address the legacy of torture and abuses, saying the current period offers a genuine opportunity to launch meaningful reforms. These include closing secret detention facilities, dismantling structures linked to torture and strengthening cooperation with international judicial and human rights mechanisms.

The organizations called for a comprehensive approach based on holding all perpetrators accountable without exception, arguing that such a process is essential to safeguarding victims’ rights and restoring confidence in justice institutions.

They concluded that the ICJ proceedings remain a key pillar in building a new Syria based on the rule of law, preventing future abuses and protecting human dignity.

 

 

Arab World

Egypt Banks on Domestic Defense Manufacturing to Curb Military Spending

A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
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Egypt Banks on Domestic Defense Manufacturing to Curb Military Spending

A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)
A military vehicle manufactured in Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Military Production)

Egypt is increasingly relying on domestic defense manufacturing to curb military spending, expanding local production of armored vehicles, drones and air defense systems while continuing to diversify its foreign arms suppliers and pursue joint-production partnerships with other countries.

The strategy comes as the country posted the lowest military spending among Arab states last year, with defense expenditure accounting for 0.61% of gross domestic product, according to figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Military experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that local arms production helps ease pressure on foreign-currency reserves required for imports while ensuring a more secure supply chain. They explained that modern warfare is characterized by the heavy consumption of weapons and ammunition, making uninterrupted access to military supplies a strategic necessity.

Egypt’s armed forces have pursued a comprehensive modernization program in recent years, including diversifying sources of weaponry and forging partnerships with major defense-producing countries, according to Egypt’s State Information Service.

The government is also pushing to expand reliance on locally manufactured defense products.

Minister of State for Military Production Salah Mostafa Gomblat said the current phase focuses on localizing advanced industrial technologies to improve production efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of Egyptian-made products.

He added that the strategy includes forging new partnerships with the private sector to reduce import costs and support the national economy.

According to SIPRI, Egypt recorded the lowest military spending among Arab countries in 2025 even as global military expenditure rose 2.9% from the previous year to $2.887 trillion. Algeria recorded the highest military-spending among Arab countries, at 8.83% of GDP.

Egypt has recently showcased a range of domestically produced defense systems, including armored vehicles, drones and air defense platforms displayed at the EDEX 2025 defense exhibition held in Cairo last December.

Among the systems highlighted were the Raad 300, a multiple-caliber guided rocket launcher capable of striking targets at ranges of up to 300 kilometers, and the Jabbar 150 unmanned aerial vehicle, which Egyptian officials describe as possessing advanced offensive capabilities.

The unveiling of the Jabbar 150 attracted attention in Israel. In a report published on June 8, Israeli website Natziv.net said Israeli security agencies were monitoring advances in Egyptian military technology and assessing their strategic implications.

Major General Nasr Salem, a military analyst, noted that Egypt’s drive to deepen domestic weapons production is intended both to secure military supply lines and reduce the cost of importing arms.

“Part of Egypt’s strategy to diversify its sources of armaments is based on localizing military industries,” Salem told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He stressed that the prolonged nature of modern conflicts requires armies to maintain a continuous flow of weapons and ammunition, adding that some military estimates suggest the cost of a single day of combat can equal a year’s defense procurement budget for some armed forces.

“For that reason, the best option for countries is to manufacture their own weapons,” he said.

Salem cautioned, however, that building a domestic defense industry is itself costly and requires access to advanced technologies capable of competing with foreign systems.

He added that local production offers another advantage: the ability to design weapons tailored to a country’s operational environment and the needs of its armed forces.

Major General Samir Ragab said expanding local defense production also helps reduce pressure on foreign-currency resources.

“No country in the world can achieve complete self-sufficiency in armaments,” Ragab told Asharq Al-Awsat, noting that certain categories of advanced weapons will continue to be imported from countries with more sophisticated defense-industrial capabilities.

Nevertheless, he said, a strong domestic defense-industrial base enhances the Egyptian military’s capabilities and provides Cairo with greater flexibility to develop weapons systems suited to its own requirements.

Arab World

Lebanon Reports Israeli Strikes in South after Evacuation Warning

Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
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Lebanon Reports Israeli Strikes in South after Evacuation Warning

Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjeyoun, Lebanon, June 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Lebanon reported Israeli strikes on the country's south on Saturday shortly after the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for 20 locations including the city of Nabatieh ahead of raids there, said AFP.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli airstrikes hit several areas covered by the warning, including the villages of Rihan and Sujud, located not far from Nabatieh. 

The Israeli army warning urged residents to "evacuate your homes immediately and move to the north of the Zahrani River", around 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the southern border with Israel. 

The Israeli army last month declared all areas south of the river "combat zones", and has since been striking the area. 

The NNA late Friday reported explosions and artillery shelling near the Ali Taher hills overlooking Nabatieh. 

On Friday Hezbollah, which has kept up attacks on Israeli troops who have invaded south Lebanon, said its fighters had confronted Israeli forces advancing towards the town of Majdal Zoun. 

Israel and Hezbollah have been at war since early March when the Iran-backed group drew Lebanon into the Middle East conflict with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes. 

Israel launched a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion, killing more than 3,700 people in Lebanon, authorities say. 

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah have respected an April ceasefire, and a conditional truce deal announced this month after the fourth round of direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations in Washington has also failed to halt the fighting. 

Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks and the conditional agreement, which requires it to cease attacks but makes no mention of Israel doing so or withdrawing troops from Lebanon. 

Iran insists that Lebanon must be part of any agreement to end the wider Middle East war, and a senior US official said Friday that a peace deal with Iran "includes Lebanon". 

But Lebanon's leaders have accused Tehran of treating Lebanon as a "bargaining chip". 

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad on Saturday urged Lebanon to take advantage of any deal to end the Iran war that includes the country. 

"We want the Lebanese state to negotiate for itself, and nobody is suggesting forfeiting this role," Fayyad said, "however, the state must abandon the policy of being crushed in the face of the Israelis and submission to the Americans." 

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in a statement on X on Saturday that Lebanon faces "a fateful test". 

"Either its people unite around a sovereign state that monopolizes weapons, upholds the law and protects citizens irrespective of their affiliation or position, or it remains hostage to the logic of militias," the statement said.