Turkey Speaks of ‘Additional Steps’ to Improve Ties with Egypt

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a trilateral foreign ministers press conference with his Romanian and Polish counterparts in Istanbul, Turkey, 27 May 2022. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a trilateral foreign ministers press conference with his Romanian and Polish counterparts in Istanbul, Turkey, 27 May 2022. (EPA)
TT
20

Turkey Speaks of ‘Additional Steps’ to Improve Ties with Egypt

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a trilateral foreign ministers press conference with his Romanian and Polish counterparts in Istanbul, Turkey, 27 May 2022. (EPA)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a trilateral foreign ministers press conference with his Romanian and Polish counterparts in Istanbul, Turkey, 27 May 2022. (EPA)

Turkey said it will take “additional steps” to bolster relations with Egypt, in light of efforts to normalize bilateral ties at various levels.

“Differences might exist, but severing relations is not good,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a meeting with with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday.

“We will work to take additional steps in collaboration with Egypt in this regard,” he added, noting that Ankara wants to improve ties with Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

He made his remarks days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it was possible to develop the dialogue and normalize relations with Cairo.

Dialogue may develop to reach higher levels, he said in April.

Egypt and Turkey had held "exploratory" talks in recent months in order to improve their relations.

Cairo hosted the second round of talks, which officials described as "frank and deep".

They tackled bilateral ties and regional issues. The officials agreed to continue consultations.

Erdogan said in December that his country would take steps to improve ties with Egypt and Israel similar to efforts it made with the United Arab Emirates, which led to investments.

Egypt’s FM Sameh Shoukry had previously said that Turkey was keen on changing course with Egypt, especially on the security level.

He noted Turkish statements that reflect a change in behavior and that it was steering clear of meddling in Egypt's internal affairs or harboring extremists figures that are hostile to Cairo.

An informed Egyptian source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Cairo "appreciates Ankara's efforts, but tangible steps are needed to reach a greater understanding to resolve differences."



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)
TT
20

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.