GNA Interior Minister: Sarraj Held Secret Talks in Cairo

GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj. (AFP)
GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj. (AFP)
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GNA Interior Minister: Sarraj Held Secret Talks in Cairo

GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj. (AFP)
GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj. (AFP)

Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) chief Fayez al-Sarraj recently made a secret trip to Egypt, revealed GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.

Last week’s trip, which lasted only a few hours, saw him meet various Egyptian officials before he departed for Bahrain where he offered his condolences over the death of its prime minister, said Bashagha.

The minister, who had returned from France on an official visit, revealed that he had requested from Egyptian authorities that his recent trip to their country be open.

Bashagha is seeking to present himself as a successor to Sarraj. He has claimed that all police and security departments in western, eastern and southern Libya are affiliated with him administratively and financially. He has also boasted that he has been able to pay the salaries of 250,000 police personnel.

Separately, members of the Libyan parliament are preparing to meet in Morocco’s Tangiers to hold talks on uniting the legislative authorities in the country.

Libya is divided between an east-based legislature, headed by Speaker Aguila Saleh, and another based in the capital Tripoli in the west.

A delegation from the Tripoli parliament had arrived in Morocco ahead of the talks. It includes all members of the legislature.

Members of the east-based parliament were flown to Morocco onboard a plane chartered by Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar.

The Tangiers meeting will be followed by official talks inside Libya.



Israeli Strikes Kill 17 Palestinians in Gaza, Orders Hospital to Evacuate

Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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Israeli Strikes Kill 17 Palestinians in Gaza, Orders Hospital to Evacuate

Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Bodies of victims of an Israeli airstrike at the Nuseirat refugee camp are prepared for the funeral prayer outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 17 Palestinians, eight of them at a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City, medics said, as the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of a hospital in the north.
Palestinian medics said eight people, including children, were killed in the Musa Bin Nusayr School that sheltered displaced families in Gaza City.
The Israeli military said in a statement the strike targeted Hamas groups operating from a command center embedded inside the school. It said Hamas used the place to plan and execute attacks against Israeli forces.
Also in Gaza City, medics said four Palestinians were killed when an airstrike hit a car.
At least five other Palestinians were killed in two separate airstrikes in Rafah and Khan Younis south of the enclave.
In the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, where the army has operated since October, Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said the army ordered staff to evacuate the hospital and move patients and injured people toward another hospital in the area.
Abu Safiya said the mission was "next to impossible" because staff did not have ambulances to move the patients.
The Israeli army has operated in the two towns of north Gaza, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, as well as the nearby Jabalia camp for nearly three months.
Palestinians have accused Israel of carrying out acts of "ethnic cleansing" to depopulate those areas to create a buffer zone.
Israel denies this and says the campaign in the area aimed to fight Hamas and prevent them from regrouping. It said its forces have killed hundreds of fighters and dismantled military infrastructure since that operation began.
Armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said they killed many Israeli soldiers in ambushes during the same period.
Mediators have yet to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas group.
Sources close to the discussions told Reuters on Thursday that Qatar and Egypt had been able to resolve some differences between the warring parties but sticking points remained.
Israel began its assault on Gaza after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel says about 100 hostages are still being held, but it is unclear how many are alive.
Authorities in Gaza say Israel's campaign has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians and displaced most of the population of 2.3 million. Much of the coastal enclave is in ruins.