Senate witnesses described Syria as at a “pivotal moment” that requires a coordinated recovery strategy if the country is to avoid renewed conflict and humanitarian collapse.

Dan Shapiro urged a four-part approach: mediation among local actors, a coordinated recovery strategy for physical and social infrastructure, policies to enable safe refugee returns, and management of detainees and displaced populations in camps such as Al Hol. He said “2.4 million children are out of school” and “a quarter of housing is damaged or destroyed,” stressing that reconstruction will require financing, accountability and coordination.

Shelly Culbertson added that most refugees do not return without enabling conditions and that host communities and labor markets must be able to absorb returnees. She cautioned that abandoned housing and squatters complicate reconstruction and that school and job capacity will be essential to successful returns.

Senators asked whether recent steps to lift broad sanctions on Syria should be accompanied by snapback conditions. Shapiro described the lifting as “a gamble” but one that may be justified if accompanied by accountability measures for minority protections, corruption, and governance; he recommended Congress consider off-ramps or snapback triggers tied to identified violations.

Witnesses also noted the need to sustain counter-ISIS and detention management efforts in northeast Syria while supporting local security partners and ensuring humanitarian access. They warned that ongoing cross-border violence and Israeli strikes complicate stabilization.