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US Private Security Contractors to Oversee 2nd Phase of Ceasefire in Gaza

People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)
People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)
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US Private Security Contractors to Oversee 2nd Phase of Ceasefire in Gaza

People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)
People walk next to a sign congratulating US President Donald Trump on his victory in the presidential election in central Jerusalem. (AFP)

The administration of US President Donald Trump has hired private US security contractors to inspect Palestinian vehicles that move from southern to northern Gaza and to ensure no rockets or other heavy weapons are being transferred past the Netzarim Corridor.

Two officials familiar with the matter told The New York Times that one of the firms assigned to the corridor is Safe Reach Solutions, which conducts logistics and planning. The company will oversee operational management of the crossings.

The second company is UG Solutions — a US private security company that operates armed guards around the world. Some of the guards are Americans who served in US military special forces, a source familiar with the issue said.

A third Egyptian security company, which has been approved by the Egyptian intelligence service, will also deploy security guards to Gaza.

The US companies will operate in Gaza as part of a multinational consortium that has been established under the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal and negotiated to solve a key sticking point around the movement of displaced Palestinians back to northern Gaza.

Hamas had refused that Israel handle the inspection operation.

The New York Times said under the deal, the private contractors are set to begin checking Gazan vehicles heading north as soon as Saturday, when Hamas is set to release four additional hostages.

According to officials, the companies will remain two to six weeks in the Gaza Strip. It is not yet clear who will fund the contractors’ deployment.

Israel hopes that the private security contractors will eventually form the nucleus of a larger international force that will run Gaza in the future, two of the officials told The Times.

Witkoff visits region

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Saudi Arabia next week and will then head to Israel.

Witkoff’s trip to Israel is expected to focus on negotiating the second phase of the hostage release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the first stage of which took effect on Sunday, several sources said.

“I’m actually going to be going over to Israel. I’m going to be part of an inspection team at the Netzarim Corridor, and also at the Philadelphi Corridor,” Witkoff said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News.

“That’s where you have outside overseers, sort of making sure that people are safe and people who are entering are not armed and no one has bad motivations,” Witkoff added.

The first stage of the ceasefire is meant to last six weeks. By day 16 - Feb. 4 - Israel and Hamas are due to start negotiating the second phase of the ceasefire, whose stated aim is to end the war.

A third phase is expected to start Gaza's reconstruction, overseen by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.

Gaza rule

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser said on Friday that the US has assured Israel that if Hamas runs afoul of a Gaza ceasefire deal, “we will be with them.”

Michael Waltz told CNN that the Trump administration will support Israel as it is “going to do what it has to do” to ensure Hamas never rules the Palestinian territory again.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held his first call with Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, a day after his call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The State Department's statement following the call was similar to the statement issued following Rubio and Netanyahu’s call. The US diplomat stressed the need to continue the flow of aid into Gaza.

He also commended the foreign minister on Israel’s successes against Hamas and Hezbollah and the ongoing efforts to implement the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

Rubio then conveyed the mutual understanding that the pursuit of peace in the region requires addressing the threats posed by Iran.

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Arab World

US-Backed Oil Pipeline to Link Iraq, Syria

Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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US-Backed Oil Pipeline to Link Iraq, Syria

Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem al-Abadi signed an agreement with Syria on Friday to build a new oil pipeline, part of a package of economic deals reached during Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to the United States.

Asharq Al-Awsat had earlier reported, citing Syrian, Western, and Iraqi sources, that Baghdad and Damascus were preparing to sign a US-backed oil-link agreement during al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington.

The sources said the project could mark the start of a new economic alliance in the Arab Mashreq.

The pipeline would revive Iraqi oil exports through Syria and replace the historic Kirkuk-Banias route, which has been out of service for years.

A Syrian oil-sector official said the two countries were close to signing a preliminary agreement. The new pipeline would carry about 2 million barrels per day and take roughly 30 months to complete after the final deal is signed.

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Türkiye and special presidential envoy to Syria and Iraq, speaks at the US Iraq Business Summit at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Diversifying export routes

The move comes as Iraq seeks to diversify its oil export routes and reduce its reliance on Gulf shipping lanes amid security threats that affect traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the main outlet for Iraqi crude exports.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said at a ceremony for the signing of the economic agreements that President Donald Trump’s administration wanted to turn the Middle East from a region of conflict into a hub for trade and investment.

Greater investment was the best route to stability, peace, and job creation across the region, Wright said.

He praised al-Zaidi for choosing the United States as his first foreign destination, about 60 days after taking office, saying the decision underscored the importance of the US-Iraqi partnership in the next phase.

Wright said expanding Iraq’s energy sector and increasing oil output would require US companies to provide investment, technology, and expertise.

Their involvement would help improve efficiency and reduce Iraq’s dependence on some neighboring countries, he said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, center, attends the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

US oil deals in Iraq

Alongside the Iraqi-Syrian pipeline agreement, US oil producer ConocoPhillips said it had agreed to acquire a 42% stake in BP’s giant Kirkuk oilfields complex in Iraq.

ConocoPhillips said the deal was among several contracts signed during the Iraqi prime minister’s visit to the US.

The project holds reserves of more than 3 billion barrels and includes future exploration opportunities.

Financial terms were not disclosed, though estimates put the deal’s value at about $400 million.

The agreement was among the major oil deals cited by Trump during al-Zaidi’s White House visit, as Baghdad pushes to attract fresh foreign investment into its energy sector.

Arab World

Egypt’s Greece, Cyprus Partnerships Do Not Hinder Ties With Türkiye

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stands between Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stands between Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt’s Greece, Cyprus Partnerships Do Not Hinder Ties With Türkiye

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stands between Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stands between Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Egyptian Presidency)

Growing cooperation between Cairo and Ankara, which has expanded into defense and military coordination, is raising questions about its impact on the strategic partnership linking Egypt with Greece and Cyprus since 2014.

The development comes as Türkiye’s relations with Athens and Nicosia remain constrained by long-standing disputes over maritime boundary demarcation and energy issues in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Egyptian experts who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat acknowledged that balancing Cairo’s regional relationships was no easy task. They stressed, however, that the Egyptian-Turkish rapprochement was not directed against Cyprus or Greece and could also serve their interests.

They said Egypt could play a role in bringing the sides closer together, given its determination to maintain balanced relations with all three countries.

Established partnership

Egypt, Greece and Cyprus have maintained a strategic partnership since the first presidential-level meeting of their trilateral cooperation mechanism in 2014.

At the time, relations between Cairo and Ankara were deeply strained following the fall of Muslim Brotherhood rule after the June 30 uprising. Some analyses suggested that Egypt had turned to partnerships with Cyprus and Greece to balance Türkiye.

Egypt, Cyprus and Greece launched a summit-level trilateral cooperation mechanism, holding its first meeting in Cairo in November 2014.

The three countries have since taken turns hosting their meetings annually, with the 10th round held in Cairo in January 2025.

Earlier this year, Cairo hosted political consultations among the foreign ministers of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty highlighted “the special nature of the relations linking Cairo with Athens and Nicosia, which contributed to a convergence of views on establishing the trilateral summit mechanism.”

He described the mechanism as “a model for cooperation and regional integration.”

The latest step in the growing relationship between Egypt and Türkiye was the signing of a letter of intent on defense cooperation during Egyptian Defense Minister Ashraf Salem Zaher's visit to Ankara last Sunday.

It was the first visit of its kind since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi traveled to Ankara on May 8, 2013, when he was serving as defense minister.

Greek caution

Greek newspaper eKathimerini examined the growing Egyptian-Turkish rapprochement in a report published on July 15.

It said that while the rapprochement did not directly threaten Greek interests so far, it was increasing concerns amid broader regional geopolitical shifts.

Rakha Ahmed Hassan, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and a former ambassador, said Egypt stressed on all occasions and in its meetings with Türkiye, Greece and Cyprus that there was no way to resolve their disputes except through dialogue and negotiation.

“Egypt seeks to maintain a balance in its relations with the three countries,” Hassan told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Egypt’s task in achieving this balance is not easy because of the difficulty of the situation itself,” he said.

“Türkiye does not recognize the international law of the high seas concerning the division of maritime boundaries and the economic maritime zone in the Eastern Mediterranean, while Greece and Cyprus insist on its application. Egypt is also a signatory to this 1982 law.”

The main disputes between Türkiye, on one side, and Greece and Cyprus, on the other, center on complex geopolitical and economic issues.

Chief among them is the Cyprus conflict, the oldest of these disputes. It dates back to 1974, when Turkish forces intervened in the northern part of the island following a coup backed by the military council then ruling Greece.

Ankara says its intervention was intended to protect Turkish Cypriots, while Cyprus and Greece consider it an occupation of the northern part of the island.

The disputes also include disagreements over maritime boundary demarcation, airspace, the continental shelf and exclusive economic zones in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

These disputes intensified with natural gas discoveries and competition over the exploitation of energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Egypt as a bridge

Bashir Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian academic and international relations researcher, said Egypt had begun paying greater attention to the Mediterranean dimension of its foreign relations a decade or more ago, focusing on Cyprus and Greece.

“Egypt demarcated its maritime borders with them and entered into security arrangements, regular military exercises and high-level security and strategic coordination,” Abdel Fattah told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“The two countries also play an important role in strengthening Egypt’s relations with the European Union. At the same time, Egypt restored momentum to its relationship with Türkiye after a period of political disagreements.”

Abdel Fattah said there was no contradiction between Egypt’s rapprochement with Türkiye and its close relations with Greece and Cyprus.

“Cairo is keen to diversify its relationships, and this is its sovereign right,” he said.

“Contrary to any concerns, Egypt could serve as a bridge for rapprochement between Türkiye, Greece and Cyprus and help resolve disputes over maritime boundary demarcation and the sharing of Eastern Mediterranean resources.”

Relations between Egypt and Türkiye have grown rapidly since 2023, as ties between the two countries returned to normal and Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchanged visits.

This was reflected in military cooperation, particularly in training and cooperation in the defense industries.

Amr el-Shobaki, an adviser at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said the Egyptian-Turkish rapprochement, particularly in the military field, could understandably concern Israel.

“But it will never be directed against Greece and Cyprus,” Shobaki said.

“On the contrary, through this rapprochement with Türkiye, Egypt could play a major role in easing tensions between Türkiye, Greece and Cyprus because of its strong and distinguished relations with all three countries.”

Shobaki told Asharq Al-Awsat that it was natural for Greece and Cyprus to monitor developments in the rapprochement between Egypt and Türkiye, given the sensitivity of their position toward Türkiye.

“But they undoubtedly have strong confidence in Egypt because of the strength of their relations with it,” he said.

Arab World

Komala: A Frequent Target of Iranian Attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan

A drone is intercepted in the sky over Erbil, Iraq, July 15, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. (Dlawer/X/via Reuters)
A drone is intercepted in the sky over Erbil, Iraq, July 15, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. (Dlawer/X/via Reuters)
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Komala: A Frequent Target of Iranian Attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan

A drone is intercepted in the sky over Erbil, Iraq, July 15, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. (Dlawer/X/via Reuters)
A drone is intercepted in the sky over Erbil, Iraq, July 15, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. (Dlawer/X/via Reuters)

At least nine people were killed and others wounded on Friday in a missile and drone attack suspected of having been carried out by Iran against an Iranian Kurdish opposition group in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, a group official said.

The attack targeted positions belonging to the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan in the Zargwezela area near Sulaymaniyah, the official said, requesting anonymity for security reasons.

The group said Iran was behind the strike, the official added. Tehran did not immediately claim responsibility.

Iran has previously attacked Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region.

Abdullah Azarbar, a member of the Politburo of the Komala Party, said the attack began at around 6 a.m. and involved eight large bunker-busting missiles.

Nine members of the group’s Peshmerga forces were killed and three others seriously wounded, he added. Three missiles struck the headquarters where the casualties occurred.

A security source had earlier said a party headquarters in the Surdas subdistrict of Sulaymaniyah province had been hit by missiles. Authorities opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the attack and identify those responsible, the source said.

The Kurdistan Region Security Agency said seven missiles struck three areas in Sulaymaniyah province early on Friday.

Four landed in Zargwezela, one in Qasardi village and two near Tal Kobani in the Qaradagh area, the agency said. Its teams were still assessing casualties and material damage.

The Kurdistan Region Counter-Terrorism Service had earlier said coalition forces intercepted and destroyed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil early on Friday. No casualties were reported.

Residents of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja provinces said they heard loud explosions in the early hours of the morning.

The Kurdistan Region Presidency condemned the missile and drone attacks on Sulaymaniyah and Erbil provinces, calling them a “dangerous development and a flagrant violation” of Iraqi sovereignty.

It warned that continued attacks could threaten Iraq’s stability and undermine efforts to strengthen security and peace in the region.

Komala repeatedly targeted

The Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan is one of Iran’s oldest opposition groups. Founded in the late 1960s as a leftist Kurdish movement, it rose to prominence during the unrest that followed Iran’s 1979 revolution.

The group later entered into armed conflict with the new authorities over Kurdish autonomy and political freedoms.

After years of fighting inside Iran, Komala moved much of its operations and many of its bases to Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, where it established political and military headquarters and camps.

It has since faced repeated Iranian attacks, particularly by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, which accuses Iranian Kurdish opposition parties of seeking to destabilize the country.

Komala combines political opposition to Tehran with advocacy for Kurdish rights in Iran. Tehran says such groups pose a security threat.

The 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests renewed attention on Iranian Kurdish opposition parties, although most remained based outside Iran.

Since the war between Iran and the United States began in February, no independent tally has established a final figure for the number of attacks on Komala bases.

Available reports, however, indicate that Iranian Kurdish opposition headquarters in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region were hit by a wave of missile and drone strikes during the conflict.

According to statements by the party and its allies, sites belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups were repeatedly attacked, including bases linked to Komala and other parties in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces.

The Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan also said missile strikes had targeted Peshmerga positions.

Human rights reports and Kurdish sources said bases belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition parties, including Komala, were among the targets of dozens of missile and drone attacks during the war.