Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron Discuss Regional Issues, Fighting Terrorism

Sisi and Macron meet in Brest on Friday. (Egyptian Presidency Spokesman)
Sisi and Macron meet in Brest on Friday. (Egyptian Presidency Spokesman)
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Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron Discuss Regional Issues, Fighting Terrorism

Sisi and Macron meet in Brest on Friday. (Egyptian Presidency Spokesman)
Sisi and Macron meet in Brest on Friday. (Egyptian Presidency Spokesman)

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Friday to join efforts to help restore stability in Libya, fight terrorism and promote coordination to maintain security and stability in the Middle East, the Mediterranean basin and Africa.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the One Ocean Summit in the French city of Brest. A statement by the Egyptian presidency said the talks touched on strategic bilateral relations, especially at the economic, commercial, military and security levels.

Macron said his country was proud of its strong and distinguished relations with Egypt, stressing “the commitment of the French administration to consolidate joint cooperation in various fields, and to support the tireless efforts of President Sisi to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, and to combat terrorism and extremist ideology in the entire region.”

Sisi pointed to “the special importance that Egypt attaches to strengthening cooperation with France, especially with regard to the transfer of French expertise and technology.”

Egyptian presidential spokesman, Ambassador Bassam Rady said the meeting discussed regional issues of common interest, especially the latest developments in Libya, where Macron expressed his country’s appreciation for the Egyptian efforts to preserve Libya’s national institutions and promote a political settlement to the crisis.

The two sides also reviewed cooperation within the framework of Egypt’s hosting of the global climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh in November.

Addressing the One Ocean Summit on Friday, Sisi stressed that climate change “remains the most difficult challenge facing us, with its negative effects that extend to various aspects of life…”

“International efforts to overcome the negative effects of climate change on the seas and oceans are still not up to the desired level,” he said, calling for “intensifying international efforts to protect our seas and oceans from these effects, and to preserve their sustainability and the diversity of marine life.”

Sisi announced that his country would join the declaration to be issued at the summit under the title, “Protecting the Ocean: Time for Action”, as well as the initiatives of the Global Ocean Alliance and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.



52 Palestinians Including Children Killed in Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza

Palestinians inspect the destruction at a makeshift displacement camp following a reported incursion a day earlier by Israeli tanks in the area in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip on July 11, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Palestinians inspect the destruction at a makeshift displacement camp following a reported incursion a day earlier by Israeli tanks in the area in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip on July 11, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
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52 Palestinians Including Children Killed in Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza

Palestinians inspect the destruction at a makeshift displacement camp following a reported incursion a day earlier by Israeli tanks in the area in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip on July 11, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Palestinians inspect the destruction at a makeshift displacement camp following a reported incursion a day earlier by Israeli tanks in the area in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip on July 11, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 28 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including four children, hospital officials said Saturday. Also, 24 others were fatally shot on their way to aid distribution sites.

The children and two women were among at least 13 people who were killed in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, after Israeli airstrikes pounded the area starting late Friday, officials in Al-Aqsa Martyr's Hospital said. Another four people were killed in strikes near a fuel station, and 15 others died in Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital.

The Israeli military said in a statement that over the past 48 hours, troops struck approximately 250 targets in the Gaza Strip, including militants, booby-trapped structures, weapons storage facilities, anti-tank missile launch posts, sniper posts, tunnels and additional Hamas infrastructure sites. The military did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment on the civilian deaths.

The Hamas-led group killed some 1,200 people in their Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and abducted 251. They still hold 50 hostages, less than half of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

Israel’s offensive has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which is under Gaza’s Hamas-run government, doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. The UN and other international organizations see its figures as the most reliable statistics on war casualties.

US President Donald Trump has said that he is closing in on another ceasefire agreement that would see more hostages released and potentially wind down the war. But after two days of talks this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu there were no signs of a breakthrough.