Egypt Urges De-escalation in the Region

Egyptian Minister of Defense during a meeting with his British counterpart in Cairo. (Egypt's Armed Forces spokesman) 
Egyptian Minister of Defense during a meeting with his British counterpart in Cairo. (Egypt's Armed Forces spokesman) 
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Egypt Urges De-escalation in the Region

Egyptian Minister of Defense during a meeting with his British counterpart in Cairo. (Egypt's Armed Forces spokesman) 
Egyptian Minister of Defense during a meeting with his British counterpart in Cairo. (Egypt's Armed Forces spokesman) 

Egyptian Minister of Defense Mohamed Zaki emphasized on Thursday during a meeting with his British counterpart in Egypt, the need for collaborative efforts to "prevent escalation and bolster security and stability in the region”.
Discussions between the British defense minister, Grant Shapps, and Zaki focused on the "developments in the Middle East, bilateral cooperation, and the shared interests between the two countries," a statement by Egypt's Armed Forces spokesman Colonel Gharib Abdel-Hafez said.
Commending Egypt's significant regional role, especially in light of the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip, Shapps acknowledged its impact on international and regional stability and security.
Separately, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, in a statement released on Wednesday, warned against the "danger of military escalation in the Middle East region on multiple fronts."
During a meeting with the visiting Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, Sisi emphasized the "vital need to defuse the current critical situation" through an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Furthermore, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmad Abul Gheit expressed deep concern over the potential multifront escalation, urging an end to the Israeli war on Gaza. He highlighted the horrific humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict.
The Greek Foreign Minister affirmed Athens' commitment to preventing the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, emphasizing the urgency of a ceasefire and the pursuit of a sustainable political solution.
Gerapetritis warned of an expanded conflict if the crisis persists.
Meanwhile, an Egyptian security source denied reports of "launching a drone from Sinai to Eilat," following the Israeli army's interception of a "suspicious aerial target" over the Red Sea near Eilat, later declared a "false alarm."
In a separate development, the Egyptian Armed Forces reported the thwarting of a drug smuggling attempt, resulting in the death of three suspected traffickers during the operation. The military spokesman disclosed the interception of approximately 300 kg of various narcotics.
This follows another successful interception earlier in the week, where Egypt seized 174 kg of narcotics on its border with Israel, resulting in one fatality and the arrest of six individuals.

 

 



After Israeli Attack, Source Denies Hamas Presence in Syria

The police headquarters in the Quneitra province. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The police headquarters in the Quneitra province. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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After Israeli Attack, Source Denies Hamas Presence in Syria

The police headquarters in the Quneitra province. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The police headquarters in the Quneitra province. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Israeli forces carried out early on Sunday an incursion inside Quneitra in southern Syria towards a position previously held by the ousted regime.

Syrian media said the forces approached the outskirts of the village of Ain al-Nourieh and destroyed a military position used by the regime.

Earlier this month, Israeli forces withdrew from buildings they had held in Quneitra after holding them for over 40 days.

Sources said the troops had destroyed furniture, vehicles and computers, as well as official documents and files related to the residents of Quneitra.

On Saturday, the Israeli army announced that it had destroyed a Hamas arms depot in the Dier al-Ali area in Syria’s Kiswa region in the Damascus countryside.

The military said the weapons were being stored to be used in terrorist attacks against Israel.

“Palestinian organizations, led by Hamas, were using Syrian territories to carry out terrorist acts at Iran’s orders,” it claimed.

A source close to Hamas denied to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Palestinian movement had any military presence in Syria.

Hamas left Syria in the early days of the Syria conflict, which erupted in 2011, it clarified.

Hamas officials may have visited members of the ousted regime since then, but the movement has no presence there “in any way shape or form.”

“Israel is lying and its attacks targeted former regime positions,” it stressed.

A local source told Suwayda 24 that the Israeli strike on Saturday targeted a depot the Military Operations Command had used to store weapons collected from the former regime.