Egypt, France Discuss Confronting Terror Groups Regionally, Internationally

Sisi meets Macron at the Elysee Palace on Friday, November 12, 2021. (Reuters)
Sisi meets Macron at the Elysee Palace on Friday, November 12, 2021. (Reuters)
TT

Egypt, France Discuss Confronting Terror Groups Regionally, Internationally

Sisi meets Macron at the Elysee Palace on Friday, November 12, 2021. (Reuters)
Sisi meets Macron at the Elysee Palace on Friday, November 12, 2021. (Reuters)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron discussed on Friday bilateral cooperation in countering terrorism at the local, regional and international levels, especially in Africa.

They met on the sidelines of the Paris International Conference for Libya and underlined the importance of bolstering Euro-Mediterranean cooperation between Egypt and the European Union.

They pointed to the current health, environment, economic, political and social crises and stressed the need to achieve stability and growth for regional countries, as well as curbing the flow of illegal migrants to the Mediterranean basin countries.

According to presidency spokesperson Bassam Rady, Macron hailed the development in Egyptian-French ties in all areas, which has been reflected in the numerous mutual visits between senior officials from both countries.

Macron further confirmed his country’s keenness to maximize bilateral cooperation in the future and enhance political coordination and exchange of views on various issues of mutual interest, Rady added.

Egypt is considered one of France’s key partners in the Middle East region and plays a pivotal role in achieving regional security and stability, he quoted Macron as saying.

Sisi, for his part, commended the remarkable level of bilateral and strategic ties with Paris in various fields, especially politically, economically, commercially and militarily.

He underscored keenness to continue consultations with Macron on a regular basis over issues of bilateral cooperation and deepening the Egyptian-French partnership, Rady stated.

They praised Egyptian-French military ties, especially after concluding many major arms deals in recent years, he noted.



US, Arab Mediators Make Some Progress in Gaza Peace Talks, No Deal Yet

Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
TT

US, Arab Mediators Make Some Progress in Gaza Peace Talks, No Deal Yet

Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)

US and Arab mediators have made some progress in their efforts to reach a ceasefire accord between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but not enough to seal a deal, Palestinian sources close to the talks said on Thursday.
As talks continued in Qatar, the Israeli military carried out strikes across the enclave, killing at least 17 people, Palestinian medics said.
Qatar, the US and Egypt are making a major push to reach a deal to halt fighting in the 15-month conflict and free remaining hostages held by the Hamas group before President Joe Biden leaves office.
President-elect Donald Trump has warned there will be "hell to pay", if the hostages are not released by his inauguration on Jan. 20.
On Thursday, a Palestinian official close to the mediation effort said the absence of a deal so far did not mean the talks were going nowhere and said this was the most serious attempt so far to reach an accord.
"There are extensive negotiations, mediators and negotiators are talking about every word and every detail. There is a breakthrough when it comes to narrowing old existing gaps but there is no deal yet," he told Reuters, without giving further details.
On Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Eden Bar-Tal said Israel was fully committed to reaching an agreement to return its hostages from Gaza but faces obstruction from Hamas.
The two sides have been at an impasse for a year over two key issues. Hamas has said it will only free its remaining hostages if Israel agrees to end the war and withdraw all its troops from Gaza. Israel says it will not end the war until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are free.
SEVERE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
On Thursday, the death toll from Israel's military strikes included eight Palestinians killed in a house in Jabalia, the largest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps, where Israeli forces have operated for more than three months. Nine others, including a father and his three children, died in two separate airstrikes on two houses in central Gaza Strip, health officials said.
There was no Israeli military comment on the two incidents.
More than 46,000 people have been killed in the Gaza war, according to Palestinian health officials. Much of the enclave has been laid waste and most of the territory's 2.1 million people have been displaced multiple times and face acute shortages of food and medicine, humanitarian agencies say.
Israel denies hindering humanitarian relief to Gaza and says it has facilitated the distribution of hundreds of truckloads of food, water, medical supplies and shelter equipment to warehouses and shelters over the past week.
Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. On Wednesday, the Israeli military said troops had recovered the body of Israeli Bedouin hostage Youssef Al-Ziyadna, along with evidence that was still being examined suggesting his son Hamza, taken on the same day, may also be dead.
"We will continue to make every effort to return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.