Iraq, Egypt Sign 15 Agreements and MoUs

A handout picture released by the Iraqi Presidency shows President Barham Salih (R) receiving Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly for talks in the capital Baghdad, on October 31, 2020. (Photo by - / IRAQI PRESIDENCY / AFP)
A handout picture released by the Iraqi Presidency shows President Barham Salih (R) receiving Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly for talks in the capital Baghdad, on October 31, 2020. (Photo by - / IRAQI PRESIDENCY / AFP)
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Iraq, Egypt Sign 15 Agreements and MoUs

A handout picture released by the Iraqi Presidency shows President Barham Salih (R) receiving Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly for talks in the capital Baghdad, on October 31, 2020. (Photo by - / IRAQI PRESIDENCY / AFP)
A handout picture released by the Iraqi Presidency shows President Barham Salih (R) receiving Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly for talks in the capital Baghdad, on October 31, 2020. (Photo by - / IRAQI PRESIDENCY / AFP)

Baghdad and Cairo on Saturday boosted bilateral cooperation by inking 15 agreements and memoranda of understanding during a meeting of the Iraqi-Egyptian High Joint Committee headed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and his Egyptian counterpart, Mostafa Madbouly.

Accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation, Madbouly arrived in the Iraqi capital to co-chair the meetings of the committee, meet Iraqi leaders and sign the MoUs.

The MoUs encompass fields of transport, water resources, health, environment, justice, investment, housing, construction, industry, trade and finance.

Noting that the meeting of the committee comes at a critical time, Madbouly emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation between Cairo and Baghdad to face common challenges and dangers through establishing a strategic partnership.

Madbouly said that the region was witnessing successive developments.

The Egyptian PM said that his country’s policy towards Baghdad is founded on the principals of preserving Iraqi sovereignty and rejecting all forms of foreign interference in its affairs.

He also voiced rejection to illegal attacks taking place within Iraq, stressing that Egypt fully understands the political, historic and geographic particularities of the country.

Madbouly added that Iraq has a chance to become an arena for interests to meet.

Addressing the committee meeting, Madbouly praised "what was initially agreed upon concerning the importance of establishing an oil-for-reconstruction mechanism," which he added would contribute to double cooperation between both countries.

Madbouly told the Iraqi side that the Egyptian construction companies are ready to help reconstruct and develop Iraq's infrastructure.

He also said that the high committee meetings aim at maximizing the mutual benefit from the experiences and capabilities of the two countries in various fields.

Madbouly called for utilizing what he described as "great production and export potentials" that both countries enjoy.

Kadhimi stressed that his country looks forward to working with Egypt and strengthening cooperation between the two countries, while noting that the Iraqi government attaches utmost importance to the joint committee.

Kadhimi also thanked the Egyptian people and President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for sending 15 tons of medical aid to Iraq.



UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)

The World Food Program says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel’s nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.

Some 80% of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel’s blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.

Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure Hamas to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime.

Israel has said Gaza has enough supplies after a surge of aid entered during the ceasefire and accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.

With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.

Malnutrition is already surging. The UN said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.

Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.

World Central Kitchen -- a US charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn’t rely on the WFP -- said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.

The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.

Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

In the Oct. 7 attack, gunmen killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.