Trump wants Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians from Gaza. Here’s why the idea is rejected

President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinians from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip was met with a hard “no” Sunday from the two U.S. allies along with the Palestinians themselves, who fear Israel would never allow them to return.

Trump floated the idea on Saturday, saying he would urge the leaders of the two Arab countries to take in Gaza’s now largely homeless population, so that “we just clean out that whole thing.” He added that resettling most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million could be temporary or long term.

Spotlight on Iran (January 15 – 22, 2025)

  • Iran presented the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas as an Israeli defeat and a victory for Hamas and the “Palestinian resistance.” According to senior Iranian officials, Israel was forced to agree to the ceasefire after failing to realize its goals in the war even after 15 months. The Houthis and the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq also congratulated Hamas on the “victory.” The Iranian foreign minister spoke with senior Hamas and PIJ figures and congratulated them on the “victory of the resistance.” He stressed Iran’s continued support for the “resistance.”
  • The Houthis claimed responsibility for six attacks against Israel using ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles. The IDF Spokesperson reported the interception of two ballistic missiles. Senior Houthi officials announced a halt to direct attacks against Israel due to the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip but threatened to resume operations in the event of Israeli “violations.” However, they declared that attacks in the Red Sea against vessels connected to Israel would continue.
  • The pro-Iranian militias in Iraq announced the suspension of their military operations against Israel due to the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. In practice, they stopped the attacks as early as November 24, 2024.
  • The Syrian authorities have instructed foreign airlines flying to the country not to allow the entry of Iranian citizens.
  • The Syrian security and intelligence services announced the seizure of weapons on the Syrian-Lebanese border, including Iranian-made drones. Experience indicates that Iran continues to make efforts to transfer weapons to Lebanon even after the collapse of the Assad regime.
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Al-Shabaab

Established In: 1996-1997

Established By: Ibrahim Haji Jaama’ Al-Afghani

Also Known As: Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, HSM, Al-Shabaab al-Islaam, Al-Shabaab al-Islamiya, Al-Shabaab al-Jihaad al Shabaab, As-Saḥab, Ash-Shabaab, Hezb al-Shabaab

Who Is Abdul Qadir Mumin? Meet Islamic State’s Elusive New Leader

His orange henna-dyed beard and striking eyewear would make him easy to pick out in a crowd, but Abdul Qadir Mumin has remained elusive.

The Somali leader of the Islamic State (IS) group has in all likelihood risen to the status of strongman of the entire organisation, even if he lacks the official title, analysts say.

Abdul Qadir Mumin

Active

Terror organization: Islamic State in Somalia.

Status: Emir of the Islamic State in Somalia.

Role: He is a Somali Islamist and the leader of the Islamic State in Somalia. He was formerly a senior religious authority in al-Shabaab. (born between 1950 and 1953).

“When I learned that Assad and Russian troops had left, I immediately understood that the Turks would begin an operation.” How the Kurds are preparing for a war for survival

While Syria celebrates the fall of the Assad regime, the mood in the north of the country is very different: taking advantage of the chaos, Turkey and its proxy, the Syrian National Army, have launched an offensive against the Kurds. In a matter of days, the autonomous region lost two major cities: Til Rifaat and Manbij. For the past decade, the Kurds have effectively existed in Syria as a quasi-independent state. The new Syrian authorities from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have been actively discussing the need to disarm the Kurdish forces at meetings with Turkish officials. Turkey has long been trying to put an end to the Kurdish separatist movement. The Kurds are being helped by the United States, which needs them as effective allies in the fight against ISIS, but so far it does not seem that the Americans are ready to stand up for the Kurds in the confrontation with Turkey. The Insider correspondent, who lives in Syria, spoke with the Kurds about why they believe that their old enemies have now come to power in the country.

“We Sang as We Were Returning as if We Were at a Wedding!” How Syria Lived Its First Month with a New Government — A Report from The Insider

For the first time in 50 years, Syrians celebrated the New Year without the Assads. A month after the overthrow of one of the most authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, the country has largely returned to normal life. Immigrants have already begun to return to Syria, but it is difficult to call the situation calm yet. In the north, pro-Turkish groups are fighting with the Kurds, and the new government from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham continues to fight Assad supporters who have not laid down their arms. Religious and national minorities – Christians, Armenians and Alawites – are feeling anxious, fearing discrimination under the new government. The Insider spoke with residents of Syria about their moods and expectations.

The Fall of the Assad Regime: Terrorism Challenges

The fall of the Assad regime in Syria presents the international community with a range of complex challenges. First and foremost, there’s a significant risk of an ISIS resurgence. Over the past year, there’s been an uptick of ISIS attacks every single month—not only in Iraq but in Syria as well. While the new ISIS caliph stays silent, learning from his predecessors that speaking publicly is likely to lead to his demise, thousands of ISIS fighters remain in camps and prisons run by Syrian Kurds. Therefore, should internal strife break out between the various anti-Assad forces and continue to spill over into Kurdish-controlled areas, the risks of incidents like the Hasaka prison break in 2022 will rise. Reports of fighting between the Turkish-controlled Syrian National Army (SNA) and Kurdish forces under the umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Manbij, as well as between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces and the SDF in Deir al Zour, are therefore highly concerning. Continued clashes between the various groups is all the more likely since a significant part of Syria’s remaining oil and gas resources are located in areas under Kurdish control, something no power broker in Damascus will likely accept.

Lebanon’s New Dawn – OpEd

After Damascus, Beirut now celebrates a new era with the election of a president, a position that Hezbollah had obstructed, leaving the post vacant since October 2022. This new phase in Lebanon concludes 50 years of regional exploitation of this small country, the second-smallest Arab state in terms of area.