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Russian Report Considers Assad a ‘Burden'

FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki
FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki
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Russian Report Considers Assad a ‘Burden'

FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki
FILE PHOTO: A Syrian soldier takes selfies pictures as Russian military vehicle is seen in convoy during re-opening the road between Homs and Hama in Rastan,Syria June 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Omar Sanadiki

A report by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) said Moscow has become more serious about making changes in Syria because protecting President Bashar Assad has become a burden.

The report hints at the possibility that Russia, Turkey and Iran reach a consensus to remove Assad, and establish a ceasefire in exchange for forming a transitional government that includes the opposition, members of the regime and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Russia’s clear impatience with Assad emerged two weeks ago following vague and indirect messages urging Damascus to change its behavior.

The RIAC is led by former Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and is known to be close to the decision-makers in the Russian government.

The report said that since the beginning of its military intervention in Syria, Moscow has been keen to avoid being presented as the defender of Assad.

It added that in negotiations it has stressed that “the Syrian people will decide whether or not Assad will remain in power”.

Earlier this week, a former Russian ambassador, Alexander Aksenyonok wrote: “It is becoming increasingly obvious that the [Assad] regime is reluctant or unable to develop a system of government that can mitigate corruption and crime.”

Russia’s TASS news agency said Russia is suspecting that Assad is not only no longer able to lead the country, but that the head of the Syrian regime is dragging Moscow towards a scenario similar to the Afghan war, which is a very disconcerting possibility for Russia.

The news agency said Moscow is working on two scenarios: The first sees forces present in Syria accepting each other’s scope of influence.

As a result, Syria would remain divided into a region protected by Tehran and Moscow, the opposition region supported by Turkey, and the East Euphrates supported by Washington and the SDF.

As for the second option, TASS explained it requires a complete withdrawal of all foreign forces and the unification of the country after achieving a political transformation in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The news agency considered that this option is less costly for all parties.

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Arab World

Hamas Names Four Israeli Female Soldier Hostages to Be Freed in Second Swap

Palestinians walk on the rubble of destroyed houses, after the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians walk on the rubble of destroyed houses, after the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP)
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Hamas Names Four Israeli Female Soldier Hostages to Be Freed in Second Swap

Palestinians walk on the rubble of destroyed houses, after the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians walk on the rubble of destroyed houses, after the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP)

Palestinian group Hamas announced the names on Friday of four Israeli women soldier hostages to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in the second swap under the ceasefire deal in Gaza.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag would be released on Saturday, the group said.

The exchange, expected to begin on Saturday afternoon, follows the release on the ceasefire's first day last Sunday of three Israeli women and 90 Palestinian prisoners, the first such exchange for more than a year.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed that the list had been received from the mediators. Israel's response would be presented later, it said in a statement.

Israeli media reported that the list of hostages slated for release was not in line with the original agreement, but it was not immediately clear whether this would have any impact on the planned exchange.

In the six-week first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, Israel has agreed to release 50 Palestinian prisoners for every female soldier released, officials have said. That suggests that 200 Palestinian prisoners would be released in return for the four.

The Hamas prisoners media office said it expected to get the names of 200 Palestinians to be freed on Saturday in the coming hours. It said the list was expected to include 120 prisoners serving life sentences and 80 prisoners with other lengthy sentences.

Since the release of the first three women on Sunday and the recovery of the body of an Israeli soldier missing for a decade, Israel says 94 Israelis and foreigners remain held in Gaza.

The ceasefire agreement, worked out after months of on-off negotiations brokered by Qatar and Egypt and backed by the United States, halted the fighting for the first time since a truce that lasted just a week in Nov. 2023.

In the first phase, Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

In a subsequent phase, the two sides would negotiate the exchange of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, which lies largely in ruins after 15 months of fighting and Israeli bombardment.

Israel launched the war following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, when fighters killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to health authorities there.

The release of the first three hostages last week brought an emotional response from Israelis. But the phased release has drawn protests from some Israelis who fear the deal will break down after women, children, elderly and ill hostages are freed in the first phase, condemning male hostages of military age whose fate is not to be resolved until later.

Others, including some in the government, feel the deal hands a victory to Hamas, which has reasserted its presence in Gaza despite vows of Israeli leaders to destroy it. Hardliners, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have demanded that Israel resume fighting at the end of the first phase.

Most of Hamas' top leadership and thousands of its fighters have been killed but the group's police have returned to the streets since the ceasefire.