Egypt, Mauritania Discuss Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism

Sisi receives Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Mauritanians Abroad Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi receives Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Mauritanians Abroad Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Mauritania Discuss Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism

Sisi receives Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Mauritanians Abroad Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi receives Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Mauritanians Abroad Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian and Mauritanian officials expressed on Tuesday keenness on cooperation in “fighting terrorism”.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received in Cairo Mauritania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Mauritanians Abroad Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and the Chargé d'Affaires of the Mauritanian Embassy in Cairo attended the meeting.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Ahmad Fahmy said the Mauritanian FM handed Sisi a letter from Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who expressed his country’s appreciation for Egypt’s leadership and people and for its leading role on the Arab and African levels.

He underscored the commitment to fostering closer bilateral relations across various fields, and to benefiting from the remarkable developmental experience in Egypt in recent years.

For his part, Sisi said Egypt looks forward to activating frameworks of joint cooperation at various levels, particularly in developmental sectors, where Egyptian companies have gained great expertise in recent years.

Moreover, Sisi stressed Egypt’s keenness on providing assistance in the development and building of capacities and cadres in Mauritania in all areas.

During the meeting, there was an exchange of views on several Arab and regional issues as the two countries seek to boost joint Arab action.

During a meeting between the foreign ministers at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry headquarters, Shoukry stressed the need to maintain cooperation between their countries in combating terrorism.

Shoukry stressed Egypt's openness to secure technical support for Mauritania in various vital sectors, including industry, health, and education. He referred to the scholarships offered to Mauritanian students to study at Egyptian universities and Al Azhar.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry highlighted the continued development in Egyptian-Mauritanian ties.

The ministers discussed regional issues of mutual concern, mainly the crises of Sudan, Libya, and Syria, agreeing on working closely to push forward cooperation.



Israeli Strikes Kill 14 Palestinians in Gaza, Medical Officials Say

Displaced Palestinians walk near their tents, set up along the beach in the west of Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, 11 November 2024. (EPA)
Displaced Palestinians walk near their tents, set up along the beach in the west of Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, 11 November 2024. (EPA)
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Israeli Strikes Kill 14 Palestinians in Gaza, Medical Officials Say

Displaced Palestinians walk near their tents, set up along the beach in the west of Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, 11 November 2024. (EPA)
Displaced Palestinians walk near their tents, set up along the beach in the west of Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, 11 November 2024. (EPA)

Palestinian medical officials say two Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 14 people, including two children and a woman, most in an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone.

One strike late Monday hit a makeshift cafeteria used by displaced people in Muwasi, the center of the so-called humanitarian zone. At least 11 people were killed, including two children, according to officials at Nasser Hospital, where the casualties were taken. Video from the scene showed men pulling bloodied wounded from among tables and chairs set up in the sand in an enclosure made of corrugated metal sheets.

The strike came hours after the Israeli military announced an expansion of the zone, where it has told Palestinians evacuating from other parts of Gaza to take refuge. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering in sprawling tent camps in and around Muwasi, a largely desolate area of dunes and agricultural fields with few facilities or services along the Mediterranean coast of southern Gaza.

Israel faces a deadline this week for the Biden administration’s ultimatum for it to allow more aid into Gaza or risk possible restrictions on US military funding.

Another strike early Tuesday hit a house in the urban Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing three people including a woman, according to al-Awda Hospital, which received the casualties. The strike also wounded 11 others, it said.

The Israeli military had no immediate comment on either strike.

Israel’s 19-month-old campaign in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities who don’t distinguish between civilians and fighters in their count, but say more than half the dead were women and children.

Israel says it targets Hamas fighters and blames the armed group for civilian deaths, saying it operates in residential areas and infrastructure and among displaced people.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led gunmen stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted about 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, about a third believed to be dead.