Syria Deeply: Weekly Update September 4, 2015

Welcome to the weekly Syria Deeply newsletter. We’ve rounded up the most important stories and developments about Syria and the Syrians in order to bring you on-the-ground reporting and valuable analysis.

Syrian Chef Finds Unlikely Fame and Love in Gaza Strip

When Wareef Kaseem Hamdeo fled from Aleppo back in 2012, he never imagined that he would end up in the besieged Gaza Strip. Yet, after a series of unexpected life turns, he found himself in another war zone. Eventually he achieved local fame after opening a Syrian restaurant that has become a hit with Palestinians. Syria Deeply met him at Syriana, his new restaurant, in Gaza City.

Palestinians in Yarmouk Enduring Typhoid Outbreak

The Yarmouk refugee camp – situated in southern Damascus – has been hit by a typhoid outbreak that has affected dozens of Palestinian refugees from the local population. After years of siege by the Syrian government and a recent attack by ISIS, residents told Syria Deeply that they are dying slowly as the international community fails to stop the ongoing killing in Syria.

‘Door to Hell’ Opened in Syria as Chemical Weapons Attacks Suspected

ISIS militants have been accused of using a chemical weapon during a recent attack on the Aleppo-area town of Marea, where victims displayed symptoms consistent with the use of mustard gas. Syria Deeply spoke to Médecins Sans Frontières about allegations of chemical weapons use and the broader condition for medical workers as the bloodshed presses on in Syria.

More recent stories to look out for at Syria Deeply:

• ISIS Fighters Impose Lashings on Women
• Analysis: Does Assad Have a Political Future in Syria?
• Analysis: Why I Shared a Horrific Picture of a Drowned Syrian Boy
• My Syrian Diary, Part 37
• Battle Fatigue Leads Many Rebels to Drop Arms

Find our new reporting and analysis every weekday at www.syriadeeply.org. You can reach our team with any comments or suggestions at info@newsdeeply.org.

Image credits: Top photo courtesy of Suwar Magazine. Photo of Wareef Kaseem Hamdeo courtesy of Lara Abu Ramadan. Photo of Yarmouk refugee camp courtesy of Associated Press/UNRWA. The photo of militants overlooking a crowd by Manu Brabo/Associated Press.