CAIRO PREPARES FOR THE "DAY AFTER" IN GAZA
Although Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip is still raging, early signs suggest that regional states are assuming a more constructive position toward the conflict – and what might come after. In a recent recorded interview with a Saudi news channel, Egypt's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, divulged that his country is now training hundreds of Palestinians to assume security roles in Gaza following the end of the conflict. According to Abdelatty, the initiative is part of a larger plan for both security and governance in the Palestinian territory that has been formulated by Cairo.
That plan was originally put forth by Egyptian officials back in March, and the country appears to be putting it into practice. In April, Abdelatty told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that "We are empowering the Palestinian policemen, providing training and recruiting new members in order to be deployed in Gaza to take care of the law, order and security in Gaza... And, of course, we are standing ready for deployment of an international force – protection, peacekeeping, whatever we call it — to be there in order to provide security and protection for the Palestinians." (Times of Israel, July 30, 2025)
HEZBOLLAH'S GERMAN NETWORK
The military campaign carried out by Israel against Hezbollah is southern Lebanon last fall succeeded in dramatically eroding the Shi'ite militia's capabilities and manpower. But Iran's chief terror proxy is still both active and dangerous. In mid-July, the U.S. State Department and Europol jointly warned that the group remains determined "to maintain its presence abroad and capable of attacking targets worldwide with little to no warning."
Germany is a particular area of concern in this regard. Last year, local authorities closed down the Islamic Center of Hamburg, a major hub of Iranian regime activity in the country. For years, authorities have observed an active Hezbollah support scene in the metropolitan areas of Berlin, Hamburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as in Lower Saxony and Bremen. That presence has now risen in importance. A joint statement by U.S. and European terrorism investigators warns that Hezbollah's setbacks in the Middle East could result in an increase in terrorist financing activities in other theaters - including Europe. (Die Welt, August 7, 2025)
FROM FOREIGN FIGHTERS TO CITIZENS?
Before it became Syria's de facto government last December, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was an Islamist group fighting against the Assad regime, and its ranks contained a significant number of foreign fighters. Now, those fighters have become a complication for Syria's new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as he tries to rehabilitate the country in the eyes of the world. To wit, foreign fighters previously affiliated with HTS are reportedly now petitioning Sharaa's government for citizenship.
The move puts Syria's new regime on the horns of a serious dilemma. While it was in opposition, HTS benefitted significantly from the support of thousands of foreign fighters from more than a dozen countries. Now that their insurgency was successful, many of these militants want to put down roots – and many HTS loyalists are inclined to let them. But Syrians at large are wary of the continued presence of foreign fighters in their country – especially because some have been involved in recent sectarian violence, such as retaliatory attacks against Syria's Alawite minority. (Reuters, August 15, 2025)
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