Sisi: Nile Water an Existential Matter

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Egyptian Presidency file photo
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Egyptian Presidency file photo
TT

Sisi: Nile Water an Existential Matter

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Egyptian Presidency file photo
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Egyptian Presidency file photo

The Ethiopian Foreign Minister said his country would start filling the Renaissance Dam in the coming months, a day after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi affirmed that the Nile is an existential matter for all Egyptians and that Cairo rejects unilateral steps by Addis Ababa that would harm Egypt's rights to the river's waters.

“The issue of utilizing the Nile water solely rests on Ethiopia’s strong position and does not need the consent of any other party. Using the Nile water is a natural right for Ethiopia,” Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew said.

However, Andargachew explained that his country prefers negotiating on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

His comments came before the UN Security Council holds a video conference on Monday to hear a briefing from UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo on the dam dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.

The video conference was called by the United States on behalf of Egypt, after talks between Cairo, Khartoum and Addis Ababa over the filling and operation of the dam reached a deadlock.

Ethiopia wants to start filling the reservoir for the 145-meter dam in July, with or without approval from the two other countries.

On Thursday, Sisi discussed the issue of the controversial dam with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the head of the African Union in 2020.

Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Radi in a statement that during a phone call, the two leaders tackled Egypt's request to the Security Council to intervene to reach a fair and balanced agreement that takes into account the interests of all parties.

According to the statement, Ramaphosa expressed his aspiration to intensify coordination between the two countries during the coming period, added Radi, noting that the South African President praised the sincere and constructive political will that Egypt has always shown to reach a solution to the dam crisis.

The Nile -- which flows some 6,000 kilometers as one of the longest rivers in the world -- is an essential source of water and electricity for dozens of countries in East Africa. Egypt fulfills 97 percent of its water needs from the river alone.



Hamas Source to Asharq Al-Awsat: Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Imminent

A Palestinian woman amid the rubble of her home in the Nusseirat camp in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike. (EPA)
A Palestinian woman amid the rubble of her home in the Nusseirat camp in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike. (EPA)
TT

Hamas Source to Asharq Al-Awsat: Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Imminent

A Palestinian woman amid the rubble of her home in the Nusseirat camp in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike. (EPA)
A Palestinian woman amid the rubble of her home in the Nusseirat camp in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike. (EPA)

A source within Hamas told Asharq Al-Awsat that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza is expected by the end of this week, unless new complications arise.

The source said “most issues have been settled, and the agreement is close.” Only a few details remain under discussion.

Speaking under the conditions of anonymity, the source said the agreement calls for a ceasefire in the first phase and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from city centers, but not Gaza. Troops will remain partially in the Netzarim and Philadelphi areas. Women and children will be allowed to return to northern Gaza, with men returning later in stages through an agreed process.

The source added that “efforts are being made to include men in the first phase, and talks are ongoing.”

In the first phase, lasting 45 to 60 days, Hamas will release about 30 Israeli prisoners, including both living detainees and bodies, in exchange for a yet-to-be-determined number of Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences.

The agreement also includes handing control of the Rafah crossing to the Palestinian Authority, but not immediately, with Egypt overseeing the process.

Hamas sees its concessions as significant, especially in giving up the demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in the first phase. However, the source stressed that Hamas has guarantees for this in later stages of the agreement.

The release of the remaining prisoners and the end of hostilities will be discussed during the first phase.

Both Israel and Hamas confirmed major progress on Tuesday.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the deal is “closer than ever” after past obstacles were removed.

Hamas issued a statement saying that, with serious and positive talks ongoing in Doha, a ceasefire and prisoner swap are possible if Israel stops adding new conditions.

Hamas is facing a complicated situation after losing much of its leadership, with regional shifts including the weakening of Hezbollah, the fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, and changes in US policy.

Other sources close to Hamas say the group is under intense pressure to make concessions, with the cost of delaying too high.

Like Israel, Hamas wants to reach an agreement before US President Donald Trump takes office next month. An Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel that Hamas is in its weakest position and warned, “The longer they wait, the worse the terms will be.”