Overview

• Following ethnic tensions, Syrian government backed militias attacked Suwayda, the Druze capital in southern Syria, briefly capturing the eastern district. Israel attacked regime targets in Syria to protect the Druze. After American mediation a ceasefire was reached.

• The IDF controls, operationally, 75% of Gaza’s territory. 1,300 Hamas fighters have been neutralized during Operation “Gideon’s Chariots”.

• The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced that the EU would not adopt sanctions against Israel over its military operations in Gaza.

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Beijing for the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Summit, where he held bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Russia’s foreign minister.

Gaza 

Hostage Deal

• Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida warned in a recorded statement that Hamas might not participate in any future ceasefire talks if the current negotiations  fail.

• Israel presented revised maps earlier this week demonstrating its willingness to reduce troop presence in parts of Gaza during a potential truce. This is seen as a concession from Israel’s previous insistence on holding strategic areas that has controlled since January.

• In advance of the Trump-al Thani meeting,  Mohammad Darwish (Chairman of Hamas’s Shura Council), Khalil al-Hayya (head of negotiations), and Ziyad al-Nakhalah and Mohammad al-Hindi from Islamic Jihad, clarified their…