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Arab World

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal Compared to Swiss Cheese, Full of Gaps

Israelis block road in Jerusalem, demanding agreement implementation and hostage release (AFP)
Israelis block road in Jerusalem, demanding agreement implementation and hostage release (AFP)
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Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal Compared to Swiss Cheese, Full of Gaps

Israelis block road in Jerusalem, demanding agreement implementation and hostage release (AFP)
Israelis block road in Jerusalem, demanding agreement implementation and hostage release (AFP)

The ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal reached between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday evening is facing a crisis that could prevent it from going forward before it gets Israeli approval or is put into effect.
The agreement is full of gaps, much like Swiss cheese. Despite outlining three phases aimed at bringing the war to a close, it is accompanied by Israeli military actions that continue to claim dozens of lives in Gaza.
Asharq Al-Awsat reviewed the deal’s terms and the different interpretations from both sides.
The first issue comes from the opening of the agreement’s appendix: Practical procedures and mechanisms to implement the agreement for the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and the return to a sustainable calm which would achieve a permanent ceasefire between the two sides.
What does “sustainable calm” mean? In Israel, officials say it means Israel has the right to resume fighting after the first phase. Palestinians, however, claim US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration has promised the war won’t restart. Both sides interpret the term differently.
The goal of the agreement is clear: release all Israeli prisoners—alive or dead—captured by Palestinians. In return, Israel will release a “negotiated number” of Palestinian prisoners.
The exchange is set to begin on “Day One,” the day the ceasefire takes effect, but it's still unclear when that will be.
In the first phase (42 days), the agreement calls for “a temporary halt to military operations by both sides and the withdrawal of the Israeli army eastward” from “high-population areas along the Gaza border, including the Gaza Valley.”
Hamas claims the maps provided for this were incomplete.
Even though the agreement mentions “the return of displaced people to their homes and withdrawal from Gaza Valley,” people will have to walk several kilometers and vehicles will be inspected, which could lead to disagreements and clashes.
As for humanitarian aid, the agreement allows for its entry starting on “Day One” (600 trucks daily, including 50 fuel trucks, with 300 heading to northern Gaza).
This includes fuel for the power plant and equipment for debris removal, rehabilitation, and hospital operations.
But the agreement doesn’t clarify how the aid will be distributed or who will control it. Will Hamas continue to oversee it? Will Israel agree? If Hamas takes charge, what happens then? This could lead to further complications.
The criteria for the first phase of the prisoner exchange are clear, but the agreement states that “the prisoner exchange terms for the first phase will not apply to the second phase.”
Hamas wants more Palestinian prisoners released, but Israel rejects this. If disagreements have arisen over clear criteria in the first phase, what will happen when the criteria are more vague?
The agreement sets a deadline of “Day 16” for indirect talks to finalize the conditions for the second phase, particularly regarding the prisoner exchange.
One clause is seen by Israel as not requiring it to carry out the second phase, while Hamas views it as a guarantee to prevent the war from restarting. The clause states: “Qatar, the US, and Egypt will make every effort to ensure continued indirect negotiations until both sides agree on the terms for the second phase.”
However, the phrase “make every effort” does not create a binding legal obligation.
The agreement is full of gaps that could become major problems for both sides. While this doesn’t mean the deal should be dismissed, it shows that many parts of the agreement are fragile and depend on mutual trust and good intentions—both of which are lacking in this region.

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Arab World

Committee Led by Assistant Interior Minister Investigates Death of Young Man in Syrian Police Custody

Mohammad Ghamira, a Syrian Civil Defense worker who died after mistreatment at a police station in al-Haffah, in the Latakia countryside. (Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management)
Mohammad Ghamira, a Syrian Civil Defense worker who died after mistreatment at a police station in al-Haffah, in the Latakia countryside. (Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management)
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Committee Led by Assistant Interior Minister Investigates Death of Young Man in Syrian Police Custody

Mohammad Ghamira, a Syrian Civil Defense worker who died after mistreatment at a police station in al-Haffah, in the Latakia countryside. (Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management)
Mohammad Ghamira, a Syrian Civil Defense worker who died after mistreatment at a police station in al-Haffah, in the Latakia countryside. (Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management)

Syrian authorities have detained seven people in connection with the death of a 29-year-old man who was beaten while in police custody, as two government ministers pledged to hold those responsible accountable once investigations are completed.

Mohammad Hossam al-Din Ghamira died Sunday at Latakia University Hospital from complications of bleeding in the brain and digestive tract after being beaten following his detention at al-Haffah police station in Latakia province.

Interior Ministry spokesman Nour al-Din al-Baba announced that a committee had been tasked with investigating the circumstances of his death. Its work would extend beyond the case to evaluate the performance of police departments across Syria, particularly in the Latakia province.

In comments to the Syrian state news agency SANA on Monday, al-Baba said that the committee would issue recommendations and that citizens would see improvements in police performance in the coming weeks.

The ministry “does not deny its responsibility for this unfortunate incident,” al-Baba acknowledged, while urging that the case be kept within its proper context without exaggeration.

He explained that the committee had arrived in al-Haffah to hear testimony from Ghamira’s family and local residents and had three days to complete its work.

A separate independent and professional medical committee was also formed to conduct a forensic examination of the body.

The Emergency and Disaster Management Ministry reported that Ghamira, one of its employees and a father of two, suffered from hemophilia, a disorder that prevents blood from clotting properly.

According to the ministry, he died from complications of cerebral and gastrointestinal bleeding caused by the beating.

A family source who requested anonymity told AFP that Ghamira had been accused in a financial case and detained for three days before being released for lack of evidence. The source alleged that he was “severely tortured,” causing his health to deteriorate before his death.

Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh mourned Ghamira as a “brother, friend and colleague” and confirmed that personnel at the police station accused of beating him had been detained and would face legal action.

“Syrians sacrificed for 14 years to reach a Syria that safeguards their dignity and humanity,” al-Saleh wrote, pledging there would be “no impunity.”

Interior Minister Anas Khattab ordered an investigative committee headed by Maj. Gen. Ahmad Mohammad Latouf, assistant interior minister for police affairs.

Khattab stressed that any violations or abuses by Interior Ministry personnel would be dealt with firmly under established laws and procedures, adding that anyone found responsible would receive “just punishment.”

Ghamira’s uncle, Issam Ghamira, told Al-Ikhbariya television that his nephew died after being struck inside the police station. He recounted that the family had informed the station chief that Ghamira suffered from hemophilia and asked that he not be harmed.

Activists and youths in al-Haffah announced a peaceful protest outside the police station following Ghamira’s burial, demanding disclosure of the circumstances surrounding his death, a transparent and independent investigation, and accountability for anyone found responsible.

Calls have also made for peaceful demonstrations in several other parts of Syria.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, several people have died while in custody since the new authorities took power. In January 2025, state media reported that a detainee died in Homs following “violations” by security personnel, who were subsequently arrested and referred to the judiciary.

Arab World

Risk of Escalation in Lebanon as Israeli Military Prepares for ‘Intensified’ Fighting

The rubble and debris of flattened buildings litter the hillside following an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese village of Nabatieh al-Fawqa on August 15, 2026. (AFP)
The rubble and debris of flattened buildings litter the hillside following an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese village of Nabatieh al-Fawqa on August 15, 2026. (AFP)
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Risk of Escalation in Lebanon as Israeli Military Prepares for ‘Intensified’ Fighting

The rubble and debris of flattened buildings litter the hillside following an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese village of Nabatieh al-Fawqa on August 15, 2026. (AFP)
The rubble and debris of flattened buildings litter the hillside following an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese village of Nabatieh al-Fawqa on August 15, 2026. (AFP)

The confrontation in southern Lebanon is entering a sensitive phase as Israeli military operations continue alongside US-mediated negotiations, while Israel’s Channel 12 has reported that the Israeli military is preparing for the possibility of several days of intensified fighting in Lebanon.

The report has raised questions over whether any escalation would remain contained or spread, although there has been no public indication of a decision to launch a wider war or set a deadline for negotiations.

Channel 12 reported that Israel remains determined to complete its operations in the Ali al-Taher Heights and linked the intensity of military activity to the negotiations. Washington, meanwhile, has reiterated its commitment to the “pilot zones” plan, maintaining that Hezbollah’s disarmament is part of the process.

Retired Lebanese Brig. Gen. Khalil Gemayel told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israeli preparations for several days of fighting did not, in his assessment, mean Israel intends to launch a broader war.

Rather, it wants to settle the battle for the Ali al-Taher Heights, securing a battlefield achievement, he added.

Any expansion of the confrontation would largely depend on the scale of Hezbollah’s response, particularly if it broadened its operations and struck Israeli communities, potentially prompting Israel to widen the fighting, he explained.

Gemayel described Ali al-Taher as a key defensive hub for Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, noting that Israeli forces were attempting to advance gradually along the hills toward sensitive positions, tunnel entrances and underground facilities with the assistance of specialized engineering units.

Hezbollah intervenes locally when Israeli troops approach critical points in its defensive network, he remarked.

Capturing the area could give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a military and political achievement while dealing Hezbollah a significant military loss, he noted.

15 August 2026, Lebanon, Nabatieh District: First responders are searching the rubble following an Israeli airstrike on a house in a tourist area of Ansar, southern Lebanon, before dawn, completely destroying the building and causing extensive damage to surrounding properties. (dpa)

Retired Brig. Gen. Naji Malaeb, meanwhile, said Israel’s escalation could be part of an attempt to draw Hezbollah into a response that would provide grounds for widening its operations.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat Israel may have used an incident that caused casualties in the Ali al-Taher Heights as a pretext to expand its operational reach beyond areas it occupies. He questioned whether Israel was attempting to provoke Hezbollah into a response that would allow it to broaden its military campaign.

Malaeb said increasingly forceful rhetoric from Hezbollah and its secretary-general, Naim Qassem, including warnings that Israel would “pay the price,” made that scenario worth considering.

A wider escalation would not necessarily begin with a ground advance. Israel could instead rely heavily on air power and expand its strikes to other areas, he went on to say.

Malaeb warned that expanding the conflict from the south deeper into Lebanon could also bring Iran into the confrontation, particularly if Beirut’s southern suburbs were targeted.

An Iranian response could provide Israel with a pretext to resume attacks on Iran even without US participation, he argued.

On the ground, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported a “significant increase in Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon” over the previous two weeks, recording an average of 137 projectiles a day between August 5 and 16.

Israeli operations continued across several areas. Drones dropped explosives around the Ali al-Taher Heights and Dabsha Hill, while Mansouri came under artillery fire. Strikes and shelling were also reported around Wadi al-Hujeir, Qantara, Aitaroun, Khiam, Hadatha and Mais al-Jabal, while Israeli forces carried out explosions in Bani Hayyan and Majdal Zoun.

Arab World

Tel Aviv Says Kushner Accepts Netanyahu’s Position on Gaza

A handout photo made available by Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2-R) meeting with US President Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, (2-L), the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner (L), and Minister Ron Dermer (R), attending the Israeli cabinet meeting in Jerusalem , 09 October 2025 (EPA/Handout)
A handout photo made available by Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2-R) meeting with US President Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, (2-L), the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner (L), and Minister Ron Dermer (R), attending the Israeli cabinet meeting in Jerusalem , 09 October 2025 (EPA/Handout)
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Tel Aviv Says Kushner Accepts Netanyahu’s Position on Gaza

A handout photo made available by Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2-R) meeting with US President Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, (2-L), the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner (L), and Minister Ron Dermer (R), attending the Israeli cabinet meeting in Jerusalem , 09 October 2025 (EPA/Handout)
A handout photo made available by Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2-R) meeting with US President Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, (2-L), the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner (L), and Minister Ron Dermer (R), attending the Israeli cabinet meeting in Jerusalem , 09 October 2025 (EPA/Handout)

US President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, agreed to the position of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to continue assassinations and military operations in Gaza until Hamas fully disarms, Tel Aviv claimed on Monday.

The announcement came after Kushner met with ‌Netanyahu in Israel and a day after the American envoy met the political leader of Hamas in Egypt in a bid to revive a US plan to end the war in Gaza.

But as the two officials were meeting in Jerusalem, the Israeli military issued a warning saying Hamas was deceiving the US and mediators with a false appearance of moderation while maintaining their long-term objective of destroying Israel.

‘Lifeline’

According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, security assessments indicate that Hamas views ongoing diplomatic US mediation efforts as a strategic “lifeline” while simultaneously attempting to repair its military infrastructure in Gaza under constraints.

Israeli security officials cited by the newspaper said that despite visible pragmatic statements, Hamas has not abandoned its core goals and actively identifies international and US-backed diplomatic tracks as a way to navigate pressure.

The newspaper doubted Hamas will fully honor its promises to relinquish all its weapons. It said Hamas will attack Israel again when given the chance, meaning that Israel must stay alert.

While Kushner and Netanyahu met for four hours on Monday, the Israeli army spokesman confirmed that its forces continued to launch raids on several areas in Gaza , as well as in the Ali Taher heights in southern Lebanon.

Washington’s concerns

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Washington is increasingly concerned that Israel is trying to buy time, introduce new reservations and change the sequencing set out in Trump’s 15-point plan to end the war in Gaza.

“They feel Israel is playing games,” one source familiar with the details told the newspaper.

The message from Trump’s circle, according to sources cited by Yedioth Ahronoth, is essentially that Netanyahu must agree to the deal because the president has already delivered what Israel asked of him and now expects Israel to do the same.

People familiar with the president’s thinking also said Trump believes he has already given Netanyahu significant political support, including signals connected to the PM’s pardon request, and does not intend to keep paying for the same commitment.

Maariv cited US sources as saying that Netanyahu prioritizes his domestic political survival ahead of Israel's election in October, often discounting how his public rejections of US-led initiatives impact the Republican party, which is preparing for midterm elections in November with a slim House majority.

According to Haaretz, Trump has declined to endorse Netanyahu as a candidate in the October 27 election in part due to his poor showing in opinion polls and partially due to wartime disagreements.

Tougher message

According to people involved in the talks, the US wants Netanyahu to immediately implement a number of steps: halting attacks in Gaza, advancing withdrawals toward the yellow line, significantly increasing humanitarian aid deliveries and allowing reconstruction and civilian governance mechanisms to begin moving forward.

Unlike previous negotiation rounds, the message from Washington is now considerably tougher.

Trump wants agreements that have already been discussed to be implemented rather than reopened for another round of bargaining. A source familiar with the talks said the purpose is “to translate the roadmap commitments into concrete and verifiable steps.”