Israel expands Gaza buffer zone to 20% as humanitarian situation deteriorates Israel’s expanded buffer zone will cut off Gaza from Egypt and further partition the Strip, as the humanitarian crisis in the territory deepens. Palestine
Feature Fearing for safety, Syria's Alawites who fled to Lebanon have no plans to return More than 30 members of one family spoke to Al-Monitor after fleeing into northern Lebanon from Syria amid a spasm of sectarian violence in the country. Many remain skeptical that it's safe to return. By Katya Hovnanian-Alexanian
Analysis Could Israel's West Bank operation lead to annexation long sought by right? The Israeli military is currently operating in West Bank Area A, which under the Oslo Accords should be administered fully by the Palestinian Authority. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
From Saudi Arabia to Australia and China, world leaders denounce Trump’s plan to 'take over' Gaza President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about a possible US takeover of Gaza after relocating the Palestinians caused a wave of uproar across the region and the world. Palestine
Analysis EU seeks channels with HTS as it grapples with post-Assad Syria By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Why Trump's plan to shut UNRWA is not the solution Instead of cutting US funds for the UNRWA or allocating them to states, the Trump administration should encourage phasing out the agency while implementing a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian refugee issue. Palestine
Russia eyes refugee return as centerpiece of next policy move in Syria Moscow claims it's making progress in talks with Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey over the return of Syrian refugees; yet getting international organizations and the United States to cooperate on the refugee return and the reconstruction of Syria proves more challenging. Jordan
Palestinians reach agreement with Damascus on return of refugees Amid efforts to reconstruct the Yarmouk refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus, the PLO is working to facilitate the return of Palestinian refugees to Syria who fled to Gaza and Lebanon. Palestine
Is Turkey refusing to register new Syrian refugees? Istanbul denies claims from Human Rights Watch that Turkey has stopped registering Syrian refugees. Syria
Lebanese divided over efforts to repatriate Syrian refugees In the absence of a unified government plan ensuring the displaced Syrians’ return to their country, Hezbollah moved to facilitate the return, which some parties welcomed while others prefer the Lebanese state take charge of this dossier. Lebanon
Israel helps White Helmets, but rejects Syrian refugees The evacuation of White Helmets members and their families from Syria was an admirable gesture by Israel, but hardly enough to compensate for the expulsion of Syrians from the Golan Heights after the 1967 war. Israel
Russia zeroes in on returning Christians to Syrian homes Moscow is playing up the plight of displaced Christians to encourage Western states to contribute to Syria's reconstruction. Syria
Iraqi refugees in Egypt denounce lack of protection, services Iraqi refugees in Egypt face challenges relating to security and access to basic services, with migrant funding often earmarked for other groups. Egypt
Egypt rejects EU plan to force refugees into camps The debate over the European Union’s plan to set up centers for migrants in North Africa and the Middle East has been rekindled in Egypt, where officials reiterated their rejection of such centers. Egypt
Congress rebukes Lebanon over Syrian refugee transfers Congress is asking the State Department to weigh in on Lebanon’s dispute with the UN refugee agency as it seeks to repatriate thousands of Syrian refugees. Lebanon
Desperate Syrians flee Daraa only to find closed borders As the Syrian regime's offensive escalates in Daraa, refugees are sleeping out in the open as both Jordan and Israel refuse to open their borders. Israel
Lebanon-UNHCR feuding over Syrian refugees Hundreds of Syrians displaced in the Lebanese border town of Arsal have returned to their country voluntarily, causing tensions between the Lebanese Foreign Ministry and the UNHCR. Lebanon
