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HTS regime massacres Syrians

The forces of the Syrian regime, led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, have committed a new massacre against the Alawite minority. The massacre was carried out in the countryside of Masyaf in the western Hama province. Earlier, the HTS-led regime also executed 52 members of the Alawite community in the coastal Latakia province. That’s where clashes broke out between HTS forces and the armed groups opposed to the Syrian regime. At least 72 people were killed from both sides in the clashes. HTS forces toppled Syria’s former government of President Bashar al-Assad in early December. The new regime has since launched military campaigns to root out what it calls the remnants of the former government, in particular targeting Alawite strongholds in the country's center and west. A curfew has also been imposed in the Latakia and Tartus provinces until Saturday.

Gaza ceasefire talks

A high-level Hamas delegation has arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to participate in truce talks, seeking a comprehensive agreement that ensures a permanent and complete ceasefire in Gaza. According to the Palestinian resistance movement, the delegation will meet with Egyptian mediators to present its demands for the second phase of the deal. These include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an end to the blockade to allow aid delivery, and the reconstruction of the territory. Talks will also include the latest developments and assessment of progress in the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas has repeatedly criticized Israel for refusing to comply with the terms of the deal and violating the truce in hundreds of cases. Last week, before the first phase of the deal ended, the Palestinian and Israeli parties held talks during which no positive results were achieved.

Ramadan in Al-Quds

Tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers participated in the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite stringent Israeli restrictions on Palestinians’ access to the holy site. Nearly 90,000 worshipers attended the prayers at Al-Aqsa in the occupied Al-Quds. Despite the large turnout, many Palestinians were prevented from reaching the holy site as Israeli forces enforced strict access regulations. Eyewitnesses say thousands of Palestinians were turned away at checkpoints surrounding the city, under the pretext of not having the necessary permits. These intensified restrictions come amid ongoing Israeli raids and crackdowns on Palestinians throughout the occupied West Bank. This is while Israeli settlers continue with their daily incursions into the mosque’s compound during the holy month of Ramadan.

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