Egypt, Tunisia Assert Support to Libyan People

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Tunisia Assert Support to Libyan People

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace where the two discussed bilateral ties as well as the political situation in Libya.

Presidency spokesman Ambassador Bassam Rady said that the two presidents discussed the latest developments in Libya and stressed the need to intensify joint coordination, especialy that Egypt and Tunisia are two neighboring countries that share borders with Libya.

The two presidents also welcomed the formation of the new Libyan executive authority and affirmed their keenness to support the brotherly Libyan people and consolidate peace and stability.

In a joint press conference, Sisi said the talks asserted the need to activate the Arab role in the Libyan crisis.

He confirmed readiness to provide all forms of support to the new authority, enabling it to perform its role in managing the transitional phase and holding elections at the end of the year.

Sisi also clarified that he discussed with Saeed the necessity of ending foreign interference in Libya, calling for the departure of all foreign forces, mercenaries, and terrorists.

Speaking at the press conference, Saied stressed Tunisia's keenness to activate cooperation frameworks and mechanisms of consultation and coordination with Egypt at all levels, pertaining to bilateral or regional and international issues of common interest.

Saied said that “Egypt's national security is our security, and Egypt's position in any international forum will be our position,” asserting his support to achieving stability and security in Libya.

Meanwhile, the head of Libya's Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi asserted that his country will continue to protect its mutual interests with Turkey.

Menfi said a high-level government delegation will head to Turkey on Sunday for a two-day official visit to discuss bilateral agreements and to boost cooperation in various fields.

Menfi was speaking after receiving the letter of credentials from the newly appointed Turkish ambassador to Libya, Kenan Yilmaz, who affirmed his country's continued support for the council and the government.

For his part, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah asserted that his foreign visits aim to prevent war, calling for solidarity to achieve stability in Libya.



Israeli Strikes Kill 14 People in Gaza, Mediators Strive for a Truce Deal

 Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israeli Strikes Kill 14 People in Gaza, Mediators Strive for a Truce Deal

 Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 14 Palestinians in three separate attacks in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, taking the weekend death toll to 102, Palestinian medics said, as US and Arab mediators stepped up efforts to conclude a ceasefire deal.

Health officials said an Israeli airstrike killed five people in a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, while another airstrike killed four others in Jabalia in the northern edge of the enclave, where Israeli forces have been operating for three months.

Later on Sunday, an Israeli airstrike hit a police station in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing five people, medics said. It wasn't immediately clear if all the dead were policemen.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on Sunday's strikes.

Earlier on Sunday, the health ministry of Hamas-run Gaza said Israeli strikes across the territory had killed at least 88 Palestinians and wounded more than 200 others in the past 24 hours.

In Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, relatives and neighbors rushed to the Zuhd family's house, which was struck by an Israeli airstrike late on Saturday, killing seven people, medics said. The search continued on Sunday morning for four others believed to be trapped under the rubble.

A hand belonging to one of the dead could be seen amongst the ruins, with the rest of his body buried under collapsed masonry. Three men removed dirt with their bare hands to retrieve bodies and search for possible survivors.

"Three young men, the son’s wife, and three children are still here. We retrieved this cousin of mine. Another cousin has been martyred and is now in the hospital. Approximately 11 people have been martyred here," Ammar Zuhd, a relative, told Reuters.

ISRAEL SAYS DOZENS OF HAMAS MILITANTS KILLED

The Israeli military said in a statement on Sunday that its forces had attacked more than 100 targets across Gaza over the weekend, killing dozens of Hamas fighters. It said it had also destroyed rocket launching sites that had been used to wage rocket attacks on Israel in recent days.

A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, and return Israeli hostages who were taken to Gaza, before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Israeli negotiators were dispatched on Friday to resume talks in Doha brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, while US President Joe Biden's administration, which is helping to mediate, urged Hamas to agree to a deal.

Hamas said it was committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible, but it was unclear how close the two sides were.

Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas fighters on communities in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's military campaign, with the stated goal of eradicating Hamas, has leveled swathes of the enclave, driving most people from their homes, and has killed 45,805 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.