Egypt, Oman Stress Keenness on Bolstering Ties

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi receives Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said at the al-Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo on Sunday. (Egyptian presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi receives Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said at the al-Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo on Sunday. (Egyptian presidency)
TT
20

Egypt, Oman Stress Keenness on Bolstering Ties

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi receives Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said at the al-Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo on Sunday. (Egyptian presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi receives Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said at the al-Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo on Sunday. (Egyptian presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said stressed on Sunday their determination to boost bilateral ties and reinforce cooperation in various fields.

Sisi received on Sunday Sultan Haitham at the al-Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo where a formal reception was held in his honor.

Spokesman for the Presidency Ahmed Fahmy stated that Sisi welcomed the royal as an honored guest of Egypt, wishing him success in continuing the comprehensive development path and achieving Vision Oman 2040.

Sisi praised the historic and friendly relations between Egypt and Oman, adding that they have always been based on solidarity and cooperation.

Egypt is keen to boost its ties with Oman to serve the interests of the peoples of both countries and the Arab world, Sisi stressed.

For his part, Sultan Haitham lauded the special Egyptian-Omani relations as well as the fraternal bonds the two nations have shared throughout history.

He voiced his keenness to bolster ongoing cooperation with Egypt and to open new horizons for their relations in various fields, building on the positive outcomes achieved in this regard during Sisi’s visit to Muscat in June 2022.

They praised the ongoing growth in trade between their countries and discussed exchanging expertise to achieve institutional development.

They discussed ways to modernize administrative apparatuses and work mechanisms by implementing governance and digitization, said the Egyptian statement.

They agreed on the need to exert intense efforts to settle existing crises in a way that safeguards the supreme interests of the Arab peoples and preserves their resources and gains.

The leaders exchanged views on regional and international developments in line with their constant consultations and coordination and their efforts to achieve regional stability and security, particularly in light of the huge threats facing the region and a number of Arab countries.



Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
TT
20

Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo

Qatar's prime minister said on Sunday that efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza have made some progress but an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the war remains elusive.

"We have seen on Thursday a bit of progress compared to other meetings yet we need to find an answer for the ultimate question: how to end this war. That's the key point of the entire negotiations," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, Reuters reported.

Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha on Thursday to meet Sheikh Mohammed amid efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza, Axios reported last week.

Sheikh Mohammed didn't say which elements of the ceasefire talks had progressed in recent days, but said Hamas and Israel remained at odds over the ultimate goal of negotiations.

He said the militant group is willing to return all remaining Israeli hostages if Israel ends the war in Gaza. But Israel wants Hamas to release the remaining hostages without offering a clear vision on ending the war, he said.

"When you don't have a common objective, a common goal between the parties, I believe the opportunities (to end the war) become very thin," Sheikh Mohammed said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan said talks Turkish officials have held with Hamas had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel, including a two-state solution.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18 after a January ceasefire collapsed, saying it would keep up pressure on Hamas until it frees the remaining hostages still held in the enclave. Up to 24 of them are believed to still be alive.

The Gaza war started after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack. Since then, Israel's offensive on the enclave killed more than 51,400, according to local health officials.