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Egypt: Abbas Kamel Sworn In As General Intelligence Chief

Major General Abbas Kamel took the constitutional oath before President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi as the new Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate on Thursday. (Press photo/ Egyptian Presidency)
Major General Abbas Kamel took the constitutional oath before President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi as the new Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate on Thursday. (Press photo/ Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt: Abbas Kamel Sworn In As General Intelligence Chief

Major General Abbas Kamel took the constitutional oath before President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi as the new Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate on Thursday. (Press photo/ Egyptian Presidency)
Major General Abbas Kamel took the constitutional oath before President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi as the new Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate on Thursday. (Press photo/ Egyptian Presidency)

Major General Abbas Kamel took the constitutional oath before President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi as the new Director of the General Intelligence Directorate on Thursday. Nasser Fahmi was sworn in as deputy head of the apparatus.

In January, Sisi designated Kamel to run the general intelligence service after the dismissal of General Khalid Fawzi.

The General Intelligence is the highest intelligence apparatus in the country and directly reports to the Egyptian presidency. The intelligence headquarters is located in the suburb of Hadayek al-Qubba, east of Cairo.

Kamel was the director of Sisi’s office and his assistant during his tenure as director of the Military Intelligence Directorate. He also served as Sisi’s office manager when the latter assumed the position of defense minister under former President Mohamed Morsi.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Sisi met with the newly appointed intelligence chief and his deputy, according to a statement issued by the presidential spokesperson, Bassam Radi.

The president underlined the necessity to maintain intelligence efforts to protect Egypt’s security against all dangers and praised the work to preserve national security amid regional instability, according to Radi.

Egypt’s General Intelligence apparatus was established in 1954, upon a decision by former President Jamal Abdel Nasser. The institution played an important role during Egypt’s modern history.

It is an independent organ that directly reports to the Egyptian presidency, consisting of a president with the rank of minister, a vice-president with the rank of deputy minister, and a number of assistants and other employees.

Among the most important files addressed by the Egyptian intelligence service during the eighties of the last century were issues related to combating terrorism and chasing members of armed groups with a religious orientation, such as Al Qaeda.

During that period, the Egyptian intelligence built close relations with many of the world’s leading intelligence services.

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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)

Over the past three weeks, Israel has systematically targeted hospitals, medical staff, aid workers, and ambulances across various regions of Lebanon, particularly in the heavily bombarded southern areas.
Tel Aviv appears intent on erasing signs of life and sustainability, especially south of the Litani River, aiming to turn the region into scorched earth and establish a buffer zone by force. The exact size of this zone, who will control it, and whether it will involve a permanent occupation remain unclear.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad recently stated that Israel is “deliberately and systematically” targeting medical teams, revealing that 13 hospitals are no longer operational, more than 150 healthcare workers have been killed, and over 100 medical centers and 130 ambulances have been targeted.
Last week, Nicolas von Arx, the regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, issued an urgent call to protect healthcare personnel, ambulances, hospitals, and primary care centers, expressing deep concern over the attacks on medical facilities.
The Islamic Health Authority, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that over 80 rescue workers have been killed in the past year, 70 of them in the past three weeks alone. The Scout Association of Amal Movement reported losing 21 members. Meanwhile, the Israeli army recently announced that any vehicle suspected of carrying armed militants would be considered a legitimate military target, regardless of its type.
Sobhiya Najjar, a public policy expert and coordinator of the Social Protection for All campaign at the Center for Social Science Research Applications (CESSRA), highlighted that the destruction of Lebanon’s healthcare system is systematic and mirrors what is happening in Gaza. She noted that Lebanon’s healthcare system, particularly in regions like Baalbek-Hermel, Bint Jbeil, and Tyre, was already fragile.
Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel targets medical centers, staff, ambulances, and firefighting services to weaken Hezbollah’s ability to treat the wounded and provide essential healthcare, thus increasing pressure on the health system.
This strategy sows chaos and fear among civilians, weakening morale and hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid, including medical and food supplies. She stressed that such actions violate international laws, which protect medical teams as neutral entities.
Paul Morcos, head of the legal organization Justicia, added that while Israel claims medical facilities and ambulances are used to hide weapons and militants, indiscriminate attacks that endanger doctors, nurses, patients, and civilians are prohibited under international law. He cited the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their protocols, which mandate taking precautions to avoid harm to civilians and ensure proportionality in military operations. These rules, he emphasized, have become customary and are binding on all nations.
For her part, political activist Dr. Mona Fayyad described these actions as part of a “genocide” committed by Israel, deliberately preventing the rescue of the wounded. She criticized the international community’s silence and argued that even if some medical personnel support Hezbollah, there is no justification for risking civilian lives under any pretext.