“The Gaza ceasefire deal could mark a turning point but the outcome of the ongoing negotiations remains highly uncertain.”

On 18 July 2025, Prof. Luigi Narbone joined Radio Vaticana’s program Il Mondo alla Radio to offer insights into recent developments in the Middle East, with a focus on Gaza, Syria, and Israel’s evolving regional strategy.

Prof. Narbone analyzed the ongoing negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza, currently being mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. He stressed that while some progress is reportedly being made, the outcome remains highly uncertain, given the past record of last minute backtracking of the parties and the ongoing Israeli military escalation in the Streep. He further noted that an agreement is all the more urgent to address the rapidly collapsing  humanitarian  situation and guarantee unhindered access of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Turning to Syria, Prof. Narbone commented on the recent violent clashes in the south involving the Druze community and reports of Israeli airstrikes near Damascus. He noted that tensions between Druze and Bedouin factions, long present and exacerbated by the civil war, have reemerged with arrival to power of Syria’s new regime. Sectarian divisions are heightening, despite the efforts by the Al Sharaa government to mitigate them and prevent new outbreaks of violence between minority groups.

In his broader reflection on Syria’s trajectory, Prof. Narbone suggested that Israel is positioning itself to take advantage of the country’s weaknesses, including by exploiting and fostering ethnic and  religious divisions. This moment will be critical in defining Syria’s future, he observed, and Israel appears intent on shaping the post-Assad regional balance to its advantage.

The interview is available in Italian.