Egypt: Judge Confesses to Killing TV Presenter Wife Shaima Gamal

The High Court of Justice in Cairo (file photo: Reuters)
The High Court of Justice in Cairo (file photo: Reuters)
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Egypt: Judge Confesses to Killing TV Presenter Wife Shaima Gamal

The High Court of Justice in Cairo (file photo: Reuters)
The High Court of Justice in Cairo (file photo: Reuters)

An Egyptian judge confessed to killing his wife TV presenter Shaima Gamal, last month, justifying his crime as "self-defense."

The Public Prosecution accused the husband, judge Ayman Haggag, of premeditated murder, saying he killed his wife and mutilated her body to hide her features. The two disagreed over Gamal wanting to announce their marriage or she'll disclose his secrets, threatening his career.

During the first trial with his crime partner Hussein al-Garably, Haggag confessed to the murder after confronting him with the evidence.

According to the Middle East News Agency, Haggag declared that he committed the crime but did not intend to kill her, stating that he was defending himself.

Garably, the second defendant, denied participating in killing Gamal.

The Giza Criminal Court postponed the trial to August 13 at the request of the defense committee for further deliberations.

Investigations stated that the husband confessed that his wife constantly demanded announcing their marriage, threatening to publish videos and pictures of them together proving their marital relationship.

She also demanded EGP3 million to agree to a divorce without tarnishing his reputation or threatening his career.

According to the investigations, the accused agreed with his partner in crime to kill his wife, and they rented a remote farm for this purpose.

The Public Prosecution established evidence against the accused from the testimony of ten witnesses, including the owner of the store from which the two defendants bought drilling tools and flammable materials, as well as the statements of the accused during interrogations, which began with the second accused guiding the police to the location of the body on the farm.

The forensic report showed that the victim's death was due to suffocation and pressure added on her neck.

The Public Prosecution is investigating the first accused over other crimes, it stated.



Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime, UN Rights Office Says

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
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Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime, UN Rights Office Says

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardments in west of Gaza City, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The UN human rights office said on Tuesday that the "weaponization" of food for civilians in Gaza constitutes a war crime, in its strongest remarks yet on a new model of aid distribution run by an Israeli-backed organization.

Over 410 people have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military while trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since it began work in late May, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters at a Geneva press briefing.

The death toll has been independently verified by his office, he added.

"Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food," he said, describing the system as "Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism".

"The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law."

Asked whether Israel was guilty of that war crime, he said: "The legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law."

Israel rejects war crimes charges in Gaza and blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the fighters deny.