Frankly Speaking: An American view on Middle East conflicts

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Updated 23 March 2025
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Frankly Speaking: An American view on Middle East conflicts

Frankly Speaking: An American view on Middle East conflicts
  • Former US intelligence official Norman Roule explains how President Trump’s actions may impact Middle East and whether US can be convinced to back Arab plan to rebuild Gaza
  • Suggests regional actors like Saudi Arabia should take on greater responsibility in fostering stability and resolving conflicts from Syria to Ukraine, Yemen to Lebanon

RIYADH: Norman Roule, a former senior US intelligence official and Middle East expert, says pundits ought to take the “glass-half-full” view of President Donald Trump’s efforts to resolve regional conflicts since taking office in January.

Appearing on Arab News’ current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” he spoke on a wide range of issues, including what Trump’s actions mean for US foreign policy, how they may impact the changes underway in the Middle East, whether Washington can be convinced to back the Arab world’s plan to rebuild Gaza, and whether a Trump-Putin summit in Saudi Arabia is on the horizon.

Acknowledging both the Trump administration’s achievements so far and the challenges ahead, Roule said: “We have a president of the United States in the earliest days of his administration who is showing that he is interested in the Middle East, interested in the Palestinian issue, and has devoted his senior most advisers to working that issue. I’m going to take that as a good start.

“The second issue is, he is consulting routinely with regional partners to include Saudi Arabia, and that’s always a wise move. He is also speaking with the Jordanians, the Egyptians, and that’s also a smart step.”

Reinforcing the “glass-half-full” argument, Roule said: “We have multiple Arab countries who are showing wise and consistent leadership and are focusing resources and political attention on the political and humanitarian future of the Palestinian people. That should be applauded and it should be endorsed and it deserves international applause and resources.”




Norman Roule, a former senior US intelligence official, spoke to “Frankly Speaking” host Katie Jensen on the possible impact of President Trump’s actions in the Middle East among a number of other topics. (AN Photo)

Earlier this month, the Trump administration broke with longstanding US policy by engaging Hamas, designated a terrorist organization since 1997, to secure the release of American hostages in Gaza.

The US president issued stern warnings to Hamas, demanding immediate hostage release and return of bodies. He threatened severe consequences, stating he was “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job.”

Roule lauded Trump’s willingness to engage with the various parties in the Israel-Hamas conflict to reach a solution. “I think that it’s a sign that there is a consistency to the Trump administration’s statements,” he told Katie Jensen, the host of “Frankly Speaking.”

“The administration stated as follows: We will speak with anybody for a diplomatic arrangement. We won’t speak endlessly. We will look for alternatives such as moving people to other countries, offering an extension of a ceasefire, doing what’s necessary. We want hostages back. We want peace. We will see where this leads, but we’re not going to tolerate endless, endless violence and endless militancy.”

On March 18, Israel broke the fragile ceasefire, which had been in effect since Jan. 19, and launched a bombardment of the Palestinian enclave, killing at least 400 people within hours, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of repeatedly refusing to release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — taken on Oct. 7, 2023, during a deadly attack in southern Israel that prompted Israel's widescale bombing campaign in Gaza.

Hamas denied rejecting a proposal from US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and accused Netanyahu of resuming attacks on Gaza to sabotage a ceasefire agreement.

“The challenges that the president and Steve Witkoff have looked at the scale of the devastation in Gaza, and it is extraordinary,” Roule said. “And truth be told, there has never been a reconstruction in the history of the world where 1.5 million people, which include thousands of militant armed gunmen, have stayed in place while reconstruction has occurred.

“It’s just never happened. And their position is these people need to be moved to a place where they can have normal lives while that reconstruction takes place.”

When asked if Netanyahu would dare defy the US president the way he did when Joe Biden and Barack Obama were in office, Roule pointed out that over more than four decades, Israeli politics and Israeli relations with the US “have been complicated.” “We’ve had periods where Israeli leaders who have had very close relations with Washington have had very difficult relations and periods of defiance with Washington,” he said.

“And we’ve also had periods where American presidents who have vowed the strongest support of Israel have cut off financial support and weapons support for Israel out of anger over Israeli actions. … There is turbulence almost inevitably as part of our US-Israeli relationship.”




Smoke rises from a burning building in North Gaza, as seen from the Israel-Gaza border, March 23, 2025. (Reuters)

Turning to Yemen, Roule described the Red Sea crisis as a global concern that requires international cooperation. He argued that the US is effectively waging a war on behalf of the world to protect maritime security and ensure the stability of vital trade routes.

Beginning March 15, the US launched a series of large-scale air and naval attacks against Houthi militant targets in Yemen, marking the most significant American military action in the Middle East since Trump began his second term.

Trump cited the Houthis’ “relentless campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism” in the Red Sea as the rationale for the strikes, which are part of a broader strategy to restore security in the region and pressure Iran, the Houthis’ main backer.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters, claiming they were aimed at supporting Palestinians in Gaza. Targets have included commercial vessels, warships, and Israel-linked ships.

“There are now more than 14 Iranian missile systems being operated in Yemen and more than a dozen, approximately a dozen, drone systems operating from Yemen as well,” Roule said.

He added: “Now that logistics system has been cut because of the naval presence in the area, but Iran can restore this at any time and interdict global trade and indeed provide capabilities that extend that introduction into the Indian Ocean and have greater impact on the world's economy.

“The US is saying that is over. And that means that Iranian Quds Force personnel in Yemen … are now at risk if they are standing near Houthi ballistic missiles, explosive boats or offensive drone systems.”

Roule said that the economic toll of instability in Yemen extends beyond its borders, affecting Sudanese workers, Palestinian laborers in Jordan, and Egypt’s Suez Canal operations.

“We have some significant regional impact,” he said. “Egypt has lost $7 billion in 2024. Palestinian workers in Jordan who take care of thousands of containers of shipping have been unemployed. Sudanese humanitarian aid has been severely diminished because of Red Sea activity.”

When asked about the cost-effectiveness of using advanced fighter jets flying from Qatar and Bahrain against primitive weapons deployed by Yemeni forces, Roule emphasized the need to balance financial considerations with strategic objectives. “This is a serious freedom of navigation issue that does have economic and political consequences and the US playing its role in part because we’re the only world actor with naval capabilities that can do this,” he said.




Beginning March 15, the US launched a series of large-scale air and naval attacks against Houthi militant targets in Yemen. (X/@CENTCOM/Reuters)

“Europe doesn’t have the same level of ships with anti-missile capabilities as the United States. We’ve got to do what we are capable of doing.”

Offering his cost-benefit analysis of the decision to counter Houthi attacks, Roule said: “Sometimes people say it’s a $4 million missile bringing down a $100,000 drone, that’s true. But the actual way of looking at that is, it’s a $4 million missile preventing a $100,000 drone from hitting a $1 billion ship.”

Roule also suggested that Arab powers should take on greater responsibility in resolving Yemen’s conflict. “There is very little likelihood there will be negotiations with the Houthis. The Trump administration will, and should, leave the Yemen issue to regional partners to work,” he said, stressing that it is “a regional issue, not an American issue.”

Moving on to Syria, Roule noted with satisfaction the new government’s “strong actions against Iranian proxies” and the fact that “Hezbollah’s relationship with Syria has indeed been cut.” “Likewise, we’ve got Syria not allowing massive Russian bases in the region. And this isn’t a world where we should have massive Russian bases in that part of the world from the American standpoint,” he said.

“We have seen some very promising developments between the Syrian Democratic Forces, how Kurds are handled between the new Syrian government and the Kurds. And in some ways, this is again where Saudi diplomats, where Arab diplomats, where Syrian diplomats, need to push this case with Congress, with the American media. … The challenge remains.”

Does Roule think that the sanctions, which were imposed essentially on the Bashar Assad regime, should be lifted?

“The answer is yes, but at the same time, the new regime, which is led by people with dark backgrounds, needs to prove itself,” he said. “It is attempting to do so. It is not a monolith in terms of its organization or its structure.”

Asked how a local solution, even if it is from Arab governments, can be found if US sanctions remain in place, he said: “Sanctions waivers should be provided, should be watched carefully across the board.

“Syrians should be encouraged to come home and provide it with financial relief so that they can return with resources to start businesses, to enable their families to thrive and build communities. And the West can be part of that. And your show and other voices should be encouraging that.”

Roule reiterated his point that regional actors ought to play a more prominent role in Syria’s conflict resolution. “This is an Arab issue,” he said. “This is an example where we’ve watched Saudi Arabia and others, but Saudi Arabia, since we’re speaking about the Kingdom, play an important and profound role in shaping regional events.”

He emphasized that the US and the West “need not to lead what happens with Syria, but to partner and to follow behind the leadership of the Kingdom so that we are enabling the region to, in essence, build itself.”

“Now, we can help, the United States can help in making sure Israel doesn't complicate things,” he said. “We can help and make sure that Western banks help Syria as needed.”

Despite widespread instability in the region, Roule expressed optimism about Lebanon’s future, describing the country as a potential “bright spot” for 2025. According to him, President Joseph Aoun has been saying and doing “all of the right things,” including how his government has been handling security, pushing back on Hezbollah, and “preventing Iran from bringing in cash.”

“It’s all positive,” he said. “I think Lebanon is going to be one of the bright spots of 2025.”

Roule praised Morgan Ortagus, the deputy US special envoy to the Middle East, for her contribution, describing her as “a very smart, capable, sober person” who has been achieving “considerable progress.”

Ortagus’ involvement in Lebanon has centered on addressing the aftermath of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict — which started on Oct. 8, 2023, and escalated since September 2024 — and on fostering regional stability.

“She’s tireless in her focus on bringing Lebanon to the attention of policymakers and making sure that they get what they need from Congress and elsewhere,” he said.




Appearing on Arab News’ current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” Roule spoke on a wide range of issues, including what Trump’s actions mean for US foreign policy, how they may impact the changes underway in the Middle East. (AN Photo)

Roule also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a mediator in international diplomacy. The Kingdom has successfully brokered deals between Russia and Ukraine and facilitated prisoner exchanges — roles traditionally played by Switzerland or European nations. This shift has earned Saudi Arabia significant respect on the global stage.

According to him, Saudi Arabia’s stature in the international community “has dramatically changed in recent years.”

“It is impossible not to recognize that Saudi Arabia is a meeting place for every globally important issue,” Roule said. “Caribbean leaders, Central Asian leaders, meetings that at one time would take place in Geneva, Paris, Berlin, Washington, now take place in Riyadh or Jeddah.”

He pointed to the upcoming March 24 meeting between Ukrainian and Russian technical teams in Jeddah as an example of this transformation. “That’s the sort of thing you used to see in Europe,” he remarked, emphasizing how Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a mediator in high-stakes international conflicts.

Roule said Saudi Arabia’s “global stature is significantly greater” owing to the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Once viewed, both regionally and globally, primarily through the lens of Islam or energy, Saudi Arabia now plays a bigger role in shaping international events, he said.

Turning to broader geopolitical dynamics, Roule addressed speculation about an imminent Trump-Putin summit. Differing views on ceasefire terms among the US, Ukraine and Russia highlight the complexities of reaching a lasting resolution. Led by top officials from the US, Russia and Ukraine, negotiations to end the conflict in Europe reflect broader efforts to de-escalate tensions.

Despite recent agreements, including Russia’s temporary halt on strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, challenges remain. While acknowledging the momentum toward such a meeting, Roule cautioned that unresolved issues must be addressed first.

“I think President Trump and President Putin will each want some sort of broader agreement, some sort of progress to take place,” he said, referring to recent discussions aimed at halting energy-related attacks between Russia and Ukraine.

He explained that while initial agreements have led to some steps — such as Russia halting attacks on Ukrainian energy sites — implementation remains uneven. Pointing to reports of Russian drone strikes during negotiations, he noted that Russia claimed to have recalled or intercepted its own drones to prevent further escalation.

Lauding the mediation of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, he said: “We’re watching again the region play a bigger role in bringing together not only Ukraine and Russia but also freeing prisoners between the countries. Saudi Arabia has brought home prisoners to the US from Russia, but also Ukrainian and Russian prisoners.

“Riyadh has done a number of remarkable things. We need we need a broader set of agreements to take place. Steve Witkoff and a number of Russian advisers, I believe, are in quiet communications behind the scenes. This is going to need to percolate for a while.”

Alluding to Ukraine-Russia talks set for the week of March 24 in Saudi Arabia, expected to focus on securing safe shipping in the Black Sea and a potential interim ceasefire, Roule said: “We’ll see where this goes. I’d watch the technical discussions that take place in Jeddah. There is a momentum that’s building here. That is clear.”

 


UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting

UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting
Updated 22 May 2025
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UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting

UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting
  • The new Syrian government, led by Ahmad Al-Sharaa, has said Syria’s heritage of coexistence must be preserved at all costs, but the country faces massive challenges

UNITED NATIONS: The top UN official for Syria warned Wednesday of the “real dangers of renewed conflict and deeper confrontation” in the war-battered country but also hoped for a better life for its people following decisions by the US and European Union to lift sanctions.
Geir Pedersen noted the fragilities in the multiethnic country and “the urgent need to address the growing polarization.” He pointed to violence against the Druze minority in late April following the killings in Alawite-minority areas in March.
“The challenges facing Syria are enormous, and the real dangers of renewed conflict and deeper fragmentation have not yet been overcome,” he told the UN Security Council.
But Pedersen said the Syrian people are cautiously optimistic that President Donald Trump’s announcement last week that the US will lift sanctions and a similar EU announcement Tuesday will “give them a better chance than before to succeed against great odds.”
Speaking by video from Damascus, Pedersen called sanctions relief, including by the United Kingdom last month, as well as financial and energy support from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye “historic developments.”
“They hold major potential to improve living conditions across the country and to support the Syrian political transition,” the UN special envoy said. “And they give the Syrian people a chance to grapple with the legacy of misrule, conflict, abuses and poverty from which they are trying to emerge.”
Former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted in a lightning rebel offensive late last year after a 13-year war, ending more than 50 years of rule by the Assad family. The new Syrian government, led by Ahmad Al-Sharaa, has said Syria’s heritage of coexistence must be preserved at all costs, but the country faces massive challenges.
Today, 90 percent of Syrians live in poverty, with 16.5 million needing protection and humanitarian assistance, including nearly 3 million facing acute food insecurity, Ramesh Rajasingham, the UN humanitarian division’s chief coordinator, told the council.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that Syria is potentially “on the verge of collapse,” warning that would lead to civil war and the country again becoming “a playground” for the Daesh group and other militants.
Pedersen told the Security Council that IS has been escalating attacks in areas of Syria in recent weeks, with signs of more coordinated operations using improvised explosive devices and medium-range weapons.
Rubio said there’s no guarantee that “things are going to work out” by lifting sanctions and working with Al-Sharaa’s transitional government, but if the US didn’t try, “it’s guaranteed not to work out.” He said Trump’s announcement of sanctions relief has led regional and Arab partner nations to help stabilize the country.
“No one should pretend this is going to be easy, because it’s not,” Rubio said. But if Syria could be stabilized, it would mean broader stability in the region, including Lebanon, Jordan and Israel, he said.
“It is a historic opportunity we hope comes to fruition,” Rubio said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make it succeed.”
John Kelley, political coordinator at the US mission to the United Nations, told the council that “US government agencies are now working to execute the president’s direction on Syria’s sanctions.”
“We look forward to issuing the necessary authorizations that will be critical to bringing new investment into Syria to help rebuild Syria’s economy and put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous and stable future,” he said. “The United States also has taken the first steps toward restoring normal diplomatic relations with Syria.”
Syria’s transitional government is urged to take “bold steps” toward Trump administration expectations, Kelley said, including making peace with Israel, quickly removing foreign militant fighters from the Syrian military, ensuring foreign extremists such as Palestinian militias can’t operate from Syria, and cooperating in preventing the resurgence of the Daesh group.
Syria’s deputy UN ambassador, Riyad Khaddour, praised Trump’s “courageous decision” to lift sanctions as well as his meeting with Al-Sharaa. Khaddour also touted actions by the European Union, UK, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates “to support Syria as it moves forward with confidence and hope.”
“The new Syria” is seeking to become “a state of peace and partnership, not a battleground for conflicts or a platform for foreign ambitions,” he said.


Israeli army said ‘eliminated’ attacker who killed pregnant woman

Israeli army said ‘eliminated’ attacker who killed pregnant woman
Updated 22 May 2025
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Israeli army said ‘eliminated’ attacker who killed pregnant woman

Israeli army said ‘eliminated’ attacker who killed pregnant woman
  • A resident of the Israeli settlement of Bruchin, 37-year-old Tzeela Gez died after she was shot in her vehicle

JERUSALEM: Israel’s military announced Wednesday it “eliminated” the perpetrator of an attack that left one pregnant woman dead in the occupied West Bank last week.
In a joint statement with Israel’s internal security agency and the police, the army said that its forces were approached by an armed man in the West Bank town of Bruqin Saturday, near the site of last week’s attack.
They said the man was “running toward the forces while holding a backpack suspected to be rigged with explosives, shouting at them,” as they were conducting search operations.
An intelligence assessment said that “Nael Samara, the terrorist who was eliminated, was the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack adjacent to Bruchin on Thursday, May 14, 2025, in which a pregnant woman, Tzeela Gez, was murdered.”
A resident of the Israeli settlement of Bruchin, 37-year-old Tzeela Gez died after she was shot in her vehicle as she headed to the hospital to give birth.
Her baby was delivered by C-section, but was still in serious condition Tuesday, according to the father.
“We will catch the killers as we always do, we will fight them and we will defeat them,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office later that day.
Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir had earlier said “we will use all the tools at our disposal and reach the murderers in order to hold them accountable.”
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, sparked by Palestinian militant group Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the West Bank has seen a surge in violence.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory are considered illegal under international law.


The UN says no aid that has entered Gaza this week has reached Palestinians

The UN says no aid that has entered Gaza this week has reached Palestinians
Updated 22 May 2025
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The UN says no aid that has entered Gaza this week has reached Palestinians

The UN says no aid that has entered Gaza this week has reached Palestinians
  • Food security experts have warned that Gaza risks falling into famine unless the blockade ends

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza: The UN said Wednesday it was trying to get the desperately needed aid that has entered Gaza this week into the hands of Palestinians amid delays because of fears of looting and Israeli military restrictions. Israeli strikes pounded the territory, killing at least 86 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Under international pressure, Israel has allowed dozens of aid trucks into Gaza after blocking all food, medicine, fuel and other material for nearly three months. But the supplies have been sitting on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the majority of supplies that had entered since Monday had been loaded onto UN trucks, but they could not take them out of the crossing area. He said the road the Israeli military had given them permission to use was too unsafe. Talks were underway for an alternative, he said.
A UN official later said some trucks had left the crossing area, heading for warehouses in Gaza, but there was no immediate confirmation they arrived. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.
Food security experts have warned that Gaza risks falling into famine unless the blockade ends. Malnutrition and hunger have been mounting. Aid groups ran out of food to distribute weeks ago, and most of the population of around 2.3 million relies on communal kitchens whose supplies are nearly depleted.
At a kitchen in Gaza City, a charity group distributed watery lentil soup.
Somaia Abu Amsha scooped small portions for her family, saying they have not had bread for over 10 days and she can’t afford rice or pasta.
“We don’t want anything other than that they end the war. We don’t want charity kitchens. Even dogs wouldn’t eat this, let alone children,” she said.
Aid groups say the small amount of aid that Israel has allowed is far short of what is needed. About 600 trucks entered daily under the latest ceasefire.
Israeli warning shots shake diplomats
Israeli troops fired warning shots as a group of international diplomats was visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Footage showed a number of diplomats giving media interviews as rapid shots ring out nearby, forcing them to run for cover. No one was reported injured.
The Israeli military said their visit had been approved, but the delegation “deviated from the approved route.” The military said it apologized and will contact the countries involved in the visit.
Israeli troops have raided Jenin dozens of times as part of a crackdown across the West Bank. The fighting displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Netanyahu says population will be moved south
Israel has said its slight easing of the blockade is a bridge until a new distribution system it demands is put in place. The UN and other humanitarian groups have rejected the system, saying it enables Israel to use aid as a weapon and forcibly displace the population.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters the plan will begin “in coming days.”
He said in a subsequent phase, Israel would create a “sterile zone” in the south, free of Hamas, where the population would be moved “for the purposes of its safety.” There, they would receive aid, “and then they enter – and they don’t necessarily go back.”
The plan involves small number of distribution hubs directed by a private, US-backed foundation known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Armed private contractors would guard the distribution.
Israel says the system is needed because Hamas siphons off significant amounts of aid. The UN denies that claim.
Initially, four hubs are being built, one in central Gaza and three at the far southern end of the strip, where few people remain.
A GHF spokesman said the group would never participate in or support any form of forced relocation of civilians. The spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with the group’s rules. said there was no limit to the number of sites and additional sites will open, including in the north, within the next month.
The trickle of aid is jammed
Currently, after supplies enter at Kerem Shalom, aid workers are required to unload them and reload them onto their own trucks for distribution.
Antoine Renard, the World Food Program’s country chief for Palestine, said 78 trucks were waiting. He told The Associated Press that “we need to ensure that we will not be looted.”
Looting has plagued aid deliveries in the past, and at times of desperation people have swarmed aid trucks, taking supplies.
A UN official and another humanitarian worker said the Israeli military had designated a highly insecure route known to have looters. The military also set a short window for trucks to come to Kerem Shalom and rejected a number of individual truck drivers, forcing last-minute replacements, they said. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.
COGAT, the Israeli defense body overseeing aid for Gaza, did not immediately respond when asked for comment.
Hospitals surrounded
Israeli strikes continued across Gaza. In the southern city of Khan Younis, where Israel recently ordered new evacuations pending an expanded offensive, 24 people were killed, 14 from the same family. A week-old infant was killed in central Gaza. In the evening, a strike hit a house in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, killing two children and their parents, according to hospital officials.
The Israeli military did not comment on the strikes. It says it targets Hamas infrastructure and accuses Hamas militants of operating from civilian areas.
Israeli troops also have surrounded two of northern Gaza’s last functioning hospitals, preventing anyone from leaving or entering the facilities, hospital staff and aid groups said this week.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 others. The militants are still holding 58 captives, around a third believed to be alive, after most were returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.


War-displaced Sudanese return to collapsed cities, disease and dwindling aid

War-displaced Sudanese return to collapsed cities, disease and dwindling aid
Updated 21 May 2025
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War-displaced Sudanese return to collapsed cities, disease and dwindling aid

War-displaced Sudanese return to collapsed cities, disease and dwindling aid
  • Humanitarian agencies face security threats, access restrictions and deep funding cuts while trying to support returning populations
  • Areas reclaimed by the SAF often lack clean water, electricity, shelter and healthcare, forcing returnees to survive in dire conditions

DUBAI: As Sudan’s civil war grinds through its second year, a new chapter is unfolding — the slow and uncertain return of families to towns and cities recently recaptured by the Sudanese Armed Forces from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

But as they do so, aid agencies say, they are finding not assurances of normalcy but scenes of devastation, disease and dwindling humanitarian support.

Nowhere is this more visible than in the capital, Khartoum. Once the heart of Sudan’s political and economic life, it was among the first cities to be consumed by violence when a violent factional struggle erupted on April 15, 2023.

Fighters loyal to the army patrol a market area in Khartoum on March 24, 2025. (AFP photo)

Following months of intense urban warfare and the occupation of the city by the RSF, Khartoum was retaken by government troops in early March.

Since then, an estimated 6,000 returnees have arrived in the city each day, according to state police. Most return with few possessions and even fewer options, compelled by necessity rather than optimism.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that roughly 400,000 people returned to Khartoum and surrounding states such as Al-Jazirah and Sennar between December and March.

The figures mark the first recorded decline — a modest 2.4 percent — in Sudan’s displaced population since the conflict began. Yet for many, the homecoming is fraught with hardship.

“Many of those returning home from abroad or from elsewhere in the country remain with critical needs, often coming back with only what can be easily carried, or returning to find their previous homes unsafe for dignified living,” Natalie Payne, program support officer in IOM’s emergency response team, told Arab News.

Much of Khartoum’s infrastructure — homes, schools, hospitals, power grids, and water treatment facilities — lies in ruins. In many neighborhoods, rubble clogs the streets, health clinics are shuttered, and there is no running water or electricity.

A man walks in the shrapnel-riddled ward of a hospital in Khartoum on April 28, 2025. (AFP photo)
Sudanese people gather at a camp for displaced people, in Port Sudan, on April 15, 2025. (AFP)

With no functioning schools or job opportunities, families are forced to rely on the overstretched aid system for survival.

Across Sudan, the needs are immense. Payne said IOM has recorded large-scale gaps in access to food, basic household goods, clean water, healthcare, and sanitation — not only for returnees but for communities that hosted them during the war.IN NUMBERS:

• 24.6 million People facing acute food insecurity in Sudan (World Food Programme)

• 12.5 million People displaced (inside and outside) since April 2023 (International Organization for Migration).

• 13.2 percent Proportion of humanitarian funding received for Sudan’s $4.2 billion UN appeal in 2025 (OCHA).

• 17 million Children out of school in Sudan (Oxfam).

Livelihood support is also urgently needed to help people rebuild some measure of stability.

However, international agencies face mounting challenges in responding. The war has displaced more than 11.3 million people inside Sudan and forced nearly four million more to seek refuge in neighboring countries — including Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan — making it the world’s largest displacement crisis.

Displaced Sudanese sit at a shelter after they were evacuated by the Sudanese army to a safer area in Omdurman, on May 13, 2025, amid the ongoing war in Sudan. (AFP)

At the same time, the conflict has sparked what the UN calls the world’s worst hunger crisis. Famine has already been declared in 10 areas, and aid officials fear this number will grow without immediate intervention.

“Given that the fighting has destroyed health, water, and sanitation infrastructure, IOM looks to operate mobile clinics, rehabilitate primary health care centers, and rehabilitate water infrastructure at gathering sites, as well as major border entry areas, such as the Askheet and Argeen border crossing point in Northern state between Sudan and Egypt,” said Payne.

To operate in insecure or hard-to-reach areas, aid agencies partner with local organizations that have access and trust. One such partner is Sudan Zero Waste Organization, a grassroots NGO based in Khartoum, which is helping prevent disease outbreaks in communities of return.

In a statement to Arab News, SZWO said cholera cases are rising in the capital and nearby Jebel Aulia due to a lack of safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

“Many returnees are being affected by cholera as a result of contact with the affected ones due to lack of awareness, lack of clean water access, and improper hygiene practices,” the organization said.

SZWO is collaborating with NGOs and UN agencies to rehabilitate water points and hygiene facilities. It also plans to scale up community kitchens to combat food insecurity and distribute cash to the most vulnerable households.

A victim of unexploded ordnance lies on a bed at a hospital in Omdurman on April 28, 2025, as the Sudanese army deepens control in the city. (REUTERS)

Long term, it hopes to support local healthcare centers in newly accessible areas, though it acknowledges that needs are currently far greater than capacity.

Meanwhile, global humanitarian funding is drying up. The UN’s Humanitarian Needs Response Plan for Sudan in 2025 is seeking $4.2 billion to reach nearly 21 million people. As of mid-May, only 13.2 percent of that amount had been secured.

Humanitarians also face logistical challenges, particularly during Sudan’s rainy season, which runs from June to October. Flooded terrain makes it difficult to reach remote or newly liberated areas, many of which are in desperate need of food and medical assistance.

“Access in Sudan is restricted at different times of the year due to adverse weather conditions,” said Payne. “Shocks throughout the rainy season can lead to increased needs with limited opportunities to respond.”

A van drives down a street in the capital Khartoum's southern neighborhood of al-Kalakla on April 29, 2025. (AFP)

And while some areas are stabilizing, violence is flaring elsewhere. Port Sudan, the de facto wartime capital and humanitarian hub, recently came under attack — prompting the UN to warn that continued hostilities there could disrupt aid operations across the country.

Other areas remain perilously unstable. West Kordofan and West Darfur have seen renewed fighting. In North Darfur, the SAF-held capital of Al-Fasher is under siege, and the nearby Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps — already gripped by famine — have come under attack.

These offensives have pushed new waves of displacement, with an estimated 450,000 people recently fleeing the region.

Displaced Sudanese sit at a shelter after they were evacuated by the Sudanese army to a safer area in Omdurman, on May 13, 2025, amid the ongoing war in Sudan.

Beyond Sudan’s borders, neighboring countries are also straining under the weight of the crisis. According to UNHCR, more than 2,000 people are crossing into Chad every day, with rising numbers arriving in Libya and Uganda.

Host countries, many of which are grappling with their own economic or security challenges, are running out of resources.

“Countries and communities receiving refugees have nothing to offer but a big heart,” Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR’s regional refugee coordinator for Sudan, told Arab News.

“In Eastern Chad today, we have more refugees than nationals. South Sudan, itself mired in poverty, is further struggling to meet the needs of Sudan’s refugees. If we do not put an end to this conflict, its repercussions will expand to other countries.”

A Sudanese refugee completes her biometric registration with UNHCR teams in the Tine transit center, in Tine, Wadi Fira province, Chad, on April 9, 2025. (AFP)

Within Sudan, the influx of returning and displaced populations into devastated neighborhoods is stretching local resources to breaking point. The economic collapse, lack of essential services, and ongoing violence have created perfect conditions for a humanitarian catastrophe.

Balde said while returns from abroad have begun, the conditions are far from ideal.

“We have started seeing people returning, but these returns happen in adverse circumstances,” he said. “Some people consider going back home or some families have decided to divide the family into two, sending some members first to go and see what properties they have left.”

Internally displaced people walk along a street in Juba, South Sudan, on Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga, File)

He added: “People need support, but it needs to be balanced because there are returns that are not in large numbers versus the large number of refugees outside the country. I don’t know whether we will still see this large number of people returning if we continue hearing about all these attacks.”

Ultimately, aid agencies say the success of any return initiative hinges on far more than food or tents. It depends on a sustained ceasefire, political will and a long-term commitment from donors to rebuild essential infrastructure — from hospitals and schools to power stations and roads.

Until then, Sudan’s returnees in Khartoum must remain in a bleak and dangerous limbo while the SAF and RSF slug it out in other parts of the country.
 

 


Netanyahu says ready for Gaza ‘temporary ceasefire’

Netanyahu says ready for Gaza ‘temporary ceasefire’
Updated 21 May 2025
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Netanyahu says ready for Gaza ‘temporary ceasefire’

Netanyahu says ready for Gaza ‘temporary ceasefire’
  • Netanyahu's remarks came hours after Israeli troops fired what it called 'warning shots' near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank
  • A European diplomat said the group had traveled to the area to witness the destruction caused by months of Israeli military raids

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was open to a “temporary ceasefire” in Gaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel’s renewed offensive and aid blockade in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
“If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we’ll be ready,” Netanyahu said, noting that at least 20 hostages were confirmed alive.
But he added the Israeli military aimed to bring all of Gaza under its control by the end of its current operation.
“We must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action,” he said.
His remarks came hours after Israeli troops fired what the army called “warning shots” near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, triggering global condemnation and fresh diplomatic tension.
The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israeli forces of “deliberately targeting by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation” near the flashpoint city of Jenin.
A European diplomat said the group had traveled to the area to witness the destruction caused by months of Israeli military raids.
The Israeli army said “the delegation deviated from the approved route” and entered a restricted zone.
Troops opened fire to steer the group away, it said, adding no injuries were reported and expressing regret for the “inconvenience caused.”
Gazans are not receiving aid
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on Israel to investigate the shooting and to hold those responsible “accountable.”
The incident came as anger mounted over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Palestinians are scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation.
Palestinian rescue teams said overnight Israeli strikes had killed at least 19 people, including a week-old baby.

No one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven’t received anything

Umm Talal Al-Masri, displaced Palestinian in Gaza City

A two-month total blockade was only partially eased this week, with aid allowed into the territory for the first time since March 2, a move leading to critical food and medicine shortages.
Israel said 100 trucks with aid entered Gaza on Wednesday, following 93 the day before which the United Nations has said had been held up.
Humanitarian groups have said that the amount falls far short of what is required to ease the crisis.
Umm Talal Al-Masri, 53, a displaced Palestinian in Gaza City, described the situation as “unbearable.”
“No one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven’t received anything,” she said.
“We’re grinding lentils and pasta to make some loaves of bread, and we barely manage to prepare one meal a day.”
The army stepped up its offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.
Israel has faced massive pressure, including from traditional allies, to halt its expanded offensive and allow aid into Gaza.
Kallas said “a strong majority” of EU foreign ministers backed the move to review its trade cooperation with Israel.
EU pressure on Israel
Sweden said it would press the 27-nation bloc to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.
Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as “worrying and painful” and called for “the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid.”
Israel’s foreign ministry has said the EU action “reflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing.”
Germany defended a key EU-Israel cooperation deal as “an important forum that we must use in order to discuss critical questions” over the situation in Gaza.
In Gaza, Israel resumed its operations across the territory on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire.
Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.
Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,509 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,655.