German, Austrian Ministers Break Off Planned Syria Trip Because of Possible Threat

27 March 2025, Jordan, Amman: Nancy Faeser (L), Germany's acting Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, and Gerhard Karner, Austrian Minister of the Interior, inform the members of their delegations a hotel in Amman that their trip to Syria has been canceled. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
27 March 2025, Jordan, Amman: Nancy Faeser (L), Germany's acting Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, and Gerhard Karner, Austrian Minister of the Interior, inform the members of their delegations a hotel in Amman that their trip to Syria has been canceled. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
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German, Austrian Ministers Break Off Planned Syria Trip Because of Possible Threat

27 March 2025, Jordan, Amman: Nancy Faeser (L), Germany's acting Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, and Gerhard Karner, Austrian Minister of the Interior, inform the members of their delegations a hotel in Amman that their trip to Syria has been canceled. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
27 March 2025, Jordan, Amman: Nancy Faeser (L), Germany's acting Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, and Gerhard Karner, Austrian Minister of the Interior, inform the members of their delegations a hotel in Amman that their trip to Syria has been canceled. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa

The German and Austrian interior ministers broke off a planned trip to Syria on Thursday because of a possible threat to their delegation, German authorities said.
Germany's Nancy Faeser had planned to visit Damascus with Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner, and a German military plane was supposed to fly Faeser's delegation into Syria from Jordan on Thursday morning.
But her ministry said that the trip was broken off before the flight could depart from Amman “because of concrete warnings by German security authorities of a terrorist threat,” German news agency dpa reported. It added that a threat to the delegation couldn't be ruled out, and that it wouldn't have been responsible to travel in view of that possible threat.
The trip hadn't been announced ahead of time. The two ministers had planned to speak with ministers in the interim government and with representatives of UN aid organizations, The Associated Press said.
Germany in particular has been a major destination for Syrian refugees over the past decade.
Last week, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Damascus and reopened the German Embassy, 13 years after it was shut in the early days of Syria’s civil war.
Baerbock, who met interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and others, said Europe needs “eyes and ears” on the ground as it follows the Syrian political transition. It was her second visit since the fall of former President Bashar Assad in December.



Israel Says Not Committed to Hamas Ceasefire, Only to Safe Corridor for US Hostage Release

Houthi supporters gather around a large Palestinian flag during an anti-US and anti-Israel protest in Sana'a, Yemen, 09 May 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
Houthi supporters gather around a large Palestinian flag during an anti-US and anti-Israel protest in Sana'a, Yemen, 09 May 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
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Israel Says Not Committed to Hamas Ceasefire, Only to Safe Corridor for US Hostage Release

Houthi supporters gather around a large Palestinian flag during an anti-US and anti-Israel protest in Sana'a, Yemen, 09 May 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB
Houthi supporters gather around a large Palestinian flag during an anti-US and anti-Israel protest in Sana'a, Yemen, 09 May 2025. EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

Israel has not agreed to any ceasefire or release of prisoners with Hamas, but only to a safe corridor to allow the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

Israel was informed a day earlier of Hamas' decision to release Alexander, the last surviving US hostage, as a goodwill gesture towards President Donald Trump after four-way talks between Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

The release, which could come as early as Monday, could open the way to freeing the rest of the 59 hostages still held in Gaza, but Netanyahu said Israeli forces would continue recently announced preparations to step up operations there, reported AFP.

"The negotiations will continue under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting," his office said in a statement.

On Sunday, Hamas said it had been talking with the United States and had agreed to release Alexander, a move key Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt called an encouraging step towards a return to ceasefire talks in the war-torn enclave.

The talks came shortly before Trump is set to leave for a visit to the Gulf that will not include a stop in Israel.

US officials have tried to calm fears in Israel of a growing distance between Israel and Trump, who last week announced an end to a US campaign against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have continued to fire missiles at Israel.

Families of the hostages and their supporters in Israel have pressed the government to reach a deal to secure the release of those still held in Gaza but Netanyahu has faced heavy pressure from hardliners in his cabinet not to end the war.

Last week, he announced plans to step up the operation in Gaza, which officials said could be seized entirely by Israeli forces.