Egypt, Greece Affirm ‘Solid Partnership’

Egyptian Foreign Minister (right) and his Greek counterpart in Cairo (the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's Facebook page)
Egyptian Foreign Minister (right) and his Greek counterpart in Cairo (the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's Facebook page)
TT
20

Egypt, Greece Affirm ‘Solid Partnership’

Egyptian Foreign Minister (right) and his Greek counterpart in Cairo (the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's Facebook page)
Egyptian Foreign Minister (right) and his Greek counterpart in Cairo (the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's Facebook page)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has held talks with Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias on bilateral ties between the countries and ways of enhancing them.

They further underscored on Sunday the importance of strategic partnership in the Southern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Last week, Dendias met with his counterparts from Cyprus, and Israel in addition to United Arab Emirates official Anwar Gargash.

Spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Ahmed Hafez said Sunday that the two ministers discussed a number of regional and international issues of common interest.

Hafez added that the meeting dealt with the situation in the eastern Mediterranean region.

The two ministers expressed their appreciation for the established partnership between the two countries, and the importance of continuing to strengthen relations together in all economic, political, social, and cultural fields.

They also praised the continued exchange of support between the two countries in international forums, and the importance of Egypt as a strategic partner for Greece and the European Union in the southern Mediterranean and the Middle East region.

They reviewed regional developments and Egypt’s vision on how to resolve them and efforts aimed to bring about an appropriate climate for security and stability, such as reaching a comprehensive settlement in the Libyan crisis.

Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus have joined a tripartite cooperation mechanism, which is backed by the presidents of three countries.

With other countries, they also established the East Mediterranean Gas Forum which kicked off in September as a “regional organization” headquartered in Cairo.



Hamas Says It Is Engaged in ‘Fierce Fighting’ in Gaza’s Rafah

Palestinian men walk near rubble of houses destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinian men walk near rubble of houses destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
20

Hamas Says It Is Engaged in ‘Fierce Fighting’ in Gaza’s Rafah

Palestinian men walk near rubble of houses destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinian men walk near rubble of houses destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, March 13, 2025. (Reuters)

Hamas fighters were engaged in "fierce fighting" with Israeli soldiers on Thursday in the south of the Gaza Strip near Rafah, the Palestinian group said.

The statement, issued on Telegram, suggests that Hamas is still active in areas where the Israeli military has expanded its control, more than 19 months after the start of Israel's air and ground campaign in Gaza.

In a later statement, it said fighters ambushed an Israeli 12-man force inside a house in the Tanur neighborhood in the eastern Rafah area with two anti-personnel and anti-armor rockets, killing and wounding several soldiers.

There was no immediate Israeli comment on the Hamas claim.

The group has rarely reported fighting around Rafah in recent months, with most clashes reported in the eastern area of the nearby city of Khan Younis and northern parts of the coastal territory.

Israel said earlier this month it would further extend its offensive in Gaza.

Israel resumed its offensive in March after the collapse of a fragile, US-backed ceasefire that had halted fighting for six weeks.