Al Majalla’s cover story, Two years after October 7, timed up perfectly with the start of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which began with the implementation of a ceasefire over the weekend. Michael Horowitz looks at October 7 and the long shadow it cast on the region. For his part, Paul Salem zooms out and looks at the effect it had on the wider region. As for the Gaza truce, Brian Katulis takes stock of the significant achievement while highlighting four key hurdles to clear if it is to stick this time around. Meanwhile, Con Coughlin examines the key role US President Donald Trump played in brokering the deal, alongside other key factors. 

But Trump’s peacemaking role, however, wasn’t enough to secure the Nobel Peace Prize. Aqeel Abbas looks at how much the US president had wanted the coveted prize, which ultimately went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Switching to Syria, Haid Haid takes stock of the country’s first post-Assad parliamentary election. In his piece, Syria’s new parliament raises old questions, he warns: “If exclusion and opacity persist, Syria risks reinforcing the very conditions that led to its collapse. It isn't just the legitimacy of one election cycle that's at stake, but the entire transition.” 

For his part, Mohamed Sharki looks at the Gen Z protests sweeping Morocco, highlighting their demands and why this is an important moment in the country. And in Culture, Azeddine Bourkia explores Morocco’s influence on the works of the famous French painter Henri Matisse. Also on the subject of art, Mohamed Abi Samra speaks to Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi at his latest exhibition in Beirut, which features murals and installations that mourn the destruction of key Arab cities.

Keeping on Culture, Abdul Rahman Mazhar Halloush interviews Iranian translator Hamid Reza Mohajerani, who explains his drive to learn Arabic and highlights the shared heritage of Farsi and Arabic. And last but not least, Turki Harbi looks at Saudi Arabia’s growing investment in cultural events and programmes, explaining how this is a key component of the country’s Vision 2030 initiative.