Sisi: Sudan’s Security Part of Egypt’s Security

A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency on July 20, 2018 shows President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C) shaking hands with Sudanese officials while being escorted by his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir (L) before the former's departure from Khartoum International Airport.  Egyptian Presidency / AFP
A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency on July 20, 2018 shows President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C) shaking hands with Sudanese officials while being escorted by his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir (L) before the former's departure from Khartoum International Airport. Egyptian Presidency / AFP
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Sisi: Sudan’s Security Part of Egypt’s Security

A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency on July 20, 2018 shows President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C) shaking hands with Sudanese officials while being escorted by his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir (L) before the former's departure from Khartoum International Airport.  Egyptian Presidency / AFP
A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency on July 20, 2018 shows President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C) shaking hands with Sudanese officials while being escorted by his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir (L) before the former's departure from Khartoum International Airport. Egyptian Presidency / AFP

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ended on Friday his two-day visit to Khartoum during which he discussed with his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir bilateral ties.

A joint statement issued following the summit held at the presidential palace in Khartoum said on Friday that “Sisi and Bashir expressed their full support for consolidating the principles of integration between the two countries.”

The statement stressed that both presidents agreed on activating bilateral relations and to follow-up on the implementation of the signed agreements and memorandum of understandings.

The two leaders also expressed their great interest in the security of the Red Sea and the need to continuously coordinate the protection of their interests and the prevention of any foreign interference.

Sisi's spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said the Egyptian President welcomed the results of his talks with Bashir, praising the spirit of constructive cooperation between the two countries and the keenness of the two leaderships to strengthen bilateral relations and consolidate historic ties.

“During his meeting with Sudanese leaders, political parties, intellectuals and media figures, Sisi stressed Egypt’s keenness on the stability of Sudan, asserting that Sudan’s security is part of Egypt’s national security,” the Ambassador said.

On Friday morning, the Egyptian President and Sudanese Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Saleh discussed the latest developments in bilateral relations.

The trip was the first since the Egyptian President started his second term last June.

“The successive visits of the Egyptian and Sudanese officials between the two countries assert how the Egyptian and Sudanese leaderships are keen to push bilateral relations forward,” Sisi said before returning to Cairo on Friday evening.



White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The Biden administration is urging Hamas to sign on to a new ceasefire deal that would ensure the release of hostages, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

Kirby said the White House welcomed Israel's decision to send another team to Doha to continue negotiations.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been trying to mediate a deal for a ceasefire and hostage release for a year with no success and are making another push this month before Donald Trump's inauguration.
Ceasefire efforts have continually stumbled on a fundamental disagreement over how to end the conflict. Hamas says it will accept an agreement and release the hostages only if Israel commits to ending the war. Israel says it will agree to stop fighting only once Hamas is destroyed.

On Friday, Hamas said it wanted "a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip" and the return of displaced people to their homes in all areas of the enclave.

US President Joe Biden has repeatedly called for a ceasefire agreement. Trump has said that if there is not a deal to release the hostages before his inauguration, "all hell is going to break out.”