Cairo, Juba Intensify Talks to ‘Stabilize Ceasefire in Sudan ’

Sisi met Tuesday with South Sudan's Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Tut Gatluak (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi met Tuesday with South Sudan's Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Tut Gatluak (Egyptian Presidency)
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Cairo, Juba Intensify Talks to ‘Stabilize Ceasefire in Sudan ’

Sisi met Tuesday with South Sudan's Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Tut Gatluak (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi met Tuesday with South Sudan's Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Tut Gatluak (Egyptian Presidency)

Cairo and Juba have intensified their efforts to stabilize the ceasefire in Sudan, following weeks of ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

On Tuesday, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and South Sudan's President Salva Kirr exchanged messages carried by envoys from both sides.

While Sisi met with South Sudan's Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs Tut Gatluak, his counterpart in South Sudan was holding talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

“Sisi met with Gatluak in the presence of the Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel,” the Egyptian presidential spokesman, Ahmed Fahmy, said.

He noted that Gatluak gave the President a letter from Salva Kiir on ways to strengthen the distinguished bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries.

During the meeting the grave challenges facing Sudan at the humanitarian, security and political levels were tackled, and the efforts to resolve the crisis in order to safeguard the Sudanese people were tackled.

Also they discussed the importance of encouraging Sudanese parties to maintain the truce and move towards a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and relief and a constructive dialogue to resolve differences and settle the crisis, thus completing the transitional path and political process in a way that preserves the unity and cohesion of the State, fulfills the aspirations of the Sudanese people and safeguards their supreme interests.

In a related development, Shoukry met with South Sudan's President Salva Kirr in Juba, as part of the FM’s visits to Chad and South Sudan to discuss the latest developments of the Sudanese crisis and its regional and international impacts.

The Minister delivered a message from Sisi that dealt with the latest developments in war-ridden Sudan and the important role of its neighboring countries in helping to resolve the current crisis and enabling the warring parties to reach a permanent ceasefire to save the lives of the Sudanese people and preserve the country's stability and territorial integrity.

Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the Foreign Ministry’s official spokesperson said Shoukry reviewed the efforts and contacts that Egypt has made since the beginning of the crisis, especially at the political level by working with the conflicting parties and the influential forces regionally and internationally to realize a ceasefire and settle differences through dialogue.

He also explained that Egypt had received over 60,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan, highlighting the immense human suffering inflicted on the Sudanese due to this conflict.

The foreign minister stressed during his meeting with Kirr the necessity of coordination among Sudan’s neighboring countries which are directly affected by the continuation of the Sudanese conflict.



EU Exploring Support for New Gaza Administration Committee, Document Says

Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
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EU Exploring Support for New Gaza Administration Committee, Document Says

Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

The European Union is exploring possible support for a new committee established to take over the civil administration of Gaza, according to a document produced by the bloc's diplomatic arm and seen by Reuters.

"The EU is engaging with the newly established transitional governance structures for Gaza," the European External Action Service wrote in a document circulated to member states on Tuesday.

"The EU is also exploring possible support to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza," it added.

European foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Gaza during a meeting in Brussels on February 23.


Israel Military Says Soldier Killed in Gaza 

A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israel Military Says Soldier Killed in Gaza 

A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)

The Israeli military announced that one of its soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Gaza on Wednesday, but a security source said the death appeared to have been caused by "friendly fire".

"Staff Sergeant Ofri Yafe, aged 21, from HaYogev, a soldier in the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit, fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.

A security source, however, told AFP that the soldier appeared to have been "killed by friendly fire", without providing further details.

"The incident is still under investigation," the source added.

The death brings to five the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza since a ceasefire took effect on October 10.


Syria: SDF’s Mazloum Abdi Says Implementation of Integration Deal May Take Time

People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
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Syria: SDF’s Mazloum Abdi Says Implementation of Integration Deal May Take Time

People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, said the process of merging the SDF with Syrian government forces “may take some time,” despite expressing confidence in the eventual success of the agreement.

His remarks came after earlier comments in which he acknowledged differences with Damascus over the concept of “decentralization.”

Speaking at a tribal conference in the northeastern city of Hasakah on Tuesday, Abdi said the issue of integration would not be resolved quickly, but stressed that the agreement remains on track.

He said the deal reached last month stipulates that three Syrian army brigades will be created out of the SDF.

Abdi added that all SDF military units have withdrawn to their barracks in an effort to preserve stability and continue implementing the announced integration agreement with the Syrian state.

He also emphasized the need for armed forces to withdraw from the vicinity of the city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), to be replaced by security forces tasked with maintaining order.