CAIRO – 24 February 2024: Egypt is establishing a second camp in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, to accommodate around 4,000 displaced Palestinians amidst the dire humanitarian situation in the war-ravaged strip. Additionally, Egypt will establish a field hospital and two relief aid distribution centers in Rafah city, along with another camp for displaced Palestinians in the central Gaza city of Deir Al Balah. The population in Gaza is suffering from severe food shortages, as Israeli authorities impose heavy restrictions on aid delivery, including prolonged inspection procedures. Israeli forces have denied over 50% of aid delivery and assessment missions to areas in desperate need, such as north of Wadi Gaza, according to the UN. Ceasing hostilitiesMeanwhile, Egypt has warned against Israeli plans to launch a military operation in Rafah, a refuge for over 1 million Palestinians displaced by the war, as well as its 200,000 resident population.

Egypt on Saturday denied reports alleging Israeli aircraft breached its airspace, according to an unnamed Egyptian security source. Egypt categorically denied media reports that Israeli military aircraft penetrated Egyptian airspace, the security source was quoted as saying by Egypt’s Al-Qahera News TV. An investigation conducted by the “Arabic Post” news website, claimed that an Israeli military aircraft entered the Egyptian territory about 100 times since the start of the war on Gaza on Oct 7, 2023, until Feb. 23, 2024. During one of its flights, this aircraft entered a depth of 172 kilometres inside Egypt from the side of the border with Gaza, claimed the Arabic Post. Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, has for years been a key regional peacemaker in the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

CAIRO - 24 February 2024: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki at the Etihadiya Palace in Cairo. Ahmed Fahmy, the official spokesman for the Presidency of the Republic, said that the discussions between the two presidents included the president welcoming the visit of the Eritrean president to Egypt. The discussions focused on activating trade exchange between the two countries and enhancing investment flow by supporting the presence of Egyptian companies in the Eritrean market in sectors of interest and priority to both sides, and in which Egyptian companies have comparative advantages and accumulated experience. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Saturday posed for a photo op with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace. An official reception ceremony was held to welcome the Eritrean president and the national anthems of both countries were played.

CAIRO - 24 February 2024: The spokesperson for the presidency, Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, stated that the discussions between the two presidents included the Egyptian President's welcoming of the Eritrean President's visit to Egypt and the confirmation of both sides' interest in continuing to develop bilateral relations to achieve a leap in the level and depth of cooperation between them in various economic, trade, and security fields. The talks focused on stimulating trade exchange between the two countries and enhancing investment flow through supporting the presence of Egyptian companies in the Eritrean market in sectors of mutual interest and priority, where Egyptian companies have relative advantages and accumulated expertise. The spokesperson added that the talks also covered regional situations, particularly developments in the Red Sea, where the presidents discussed the serious security developments in the region and emphasized the importance of de-escalation and containment of the situation. They stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to pave the way for full and sustainable humanitarian access to the sector and to initiate the two-state solution process for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state according to internationally recognized references. Furthermore, the presidents discussed developments in the Horn of Africa, agreeing on the necessity of respecting Somalia's sovereignty and supporting it in rejecting all measures that diminish this sovereignty.

CAIRO – 23 February 2024: The meeting between officials from Egypt, Paris, the United States and Qatar taking place in Paris today to secure a ceasefire and a prisoner swap deal in Gaza has come to an end, according to an Egyptian official source. A “positive atmosphere” has prevailed in the talks, sources told Al Qahera News with disclosing further details. Israel is threatening to implement its Rafah offensive by Ramadan, brushing aside global condemnations. While the United States participate in the ceasefire talks, it blocked an Arab-backed resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza during a vote at the Security Council on Tuesday. Over 140 days, the Israeli forces have killed almost 30,000 people and injured almost 70,000 others in Gaza, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a real estate investment deal on Friday, granting Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ) the rights to develop the Ras Al Hekma project for $24bn. Ras Al Hekma DevelopmentRas Al Hekma is a coastal area located approximately 350 kilometres northwest of Cairo. This investment marks a pivotal step towards establishing Ras Al Hekma as a premier Mediterranean vacation destination, a financial hub, and a free zone equipped with infrastructure to boost Egypt’s economic and tourism growth potential. The Egyptian government will retain a 35% stake in the Ras Al Hekma development project. Statements from Key FiguresMohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Managing Director and CEO of ADQ, said in a statement: “The investment in Ras Al Hekma aligns with our commitment to transforming the area into one of the most prominent coastal destinations by enabling key development and infrastructure projects.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that Egypt will receive $35bn as a down payment for the Ras Al Hekma development deal. The total investment in the development of Ras Al Hekma City is $150bn, and Egypt’s share of the project’s profits is 35%. “Foreign direct investment through Ras Al Hekma development deal contributes to eliminating the parallel market for foreign currency in Egypt.”Madbouly said that the New Urban Communities Authority represents Egypt in the Ras Al Hekma City development deal, while Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ) represents the UAE. The Prime Minister added that ADQ will establish Ras Al Hekma Company as an Egyptian joint stock company to develop Ras Al Hekma City on an area of 170.8 million square meters. The Prime Minister stated that these agreements will help to stabilize the Egyptian economy and improve the country’s credit rating.

The government expects the project to attract investments of up to $150 billion during its development, helping to provide millions of job opportunities and inject liquidity into the Egyptian economy. Under the deal, Cairo will receive $35 billion within two months, including an $11 billion Emirati deposit in the Egyptian Central Bank, in addition to $24 billion to be injected by the United Arab Emirates. Egypt will receive 35 percent of the profits from the Ras Al-Hikma project, and the state will be committed to cash and in-kind compensation for the residents located on the city's lands. Egypt's external debt will decrease by $11 billion as a result of converting the Emirati deposit in the central bank into an investment in the project. As part of this investment, ADQ will transfer $11 billion from the deposits to be used for investment in key projects throughout Egypt to support its economic growth and prosperity.

The Bavarians this week decided to cut ties with Tuchel at the end of the current campaign despite his contract running until 2025 following a three-game losing run in all competitions. Bayern, who won the previous 11 league titles, are in second place in the Bundesliga, eight points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen. "But we have a discrepancy from training to matches and the coach is responsible." "I don't think I am the only problem but I accept my responsibility. "Now we have a new situation but the situation has been solved and communicated but I don't think I am the only problem," he said.

CAIRO – 23 February 2024: The delegation of the Palestinian Movement Hamas, led by Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement's political bureau, concluded its visit to Egypt, which lasted several days, according to a press statement issued by the Hamas leader's office. The movement's delegation held several high-level meetings to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip, putting an end to the Israeli brutal aggression against the Palestinian people, the return of displaced persons to their homes, relief and shelter, especially in the northern Gaza Strip, and ways to achieve these demands. As for the issue of prisoner exchange, the delegation also addressed it, as well as the Israeli occupation's plans regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque in light of the Israeli government's decision to prevent the Palestinians in the West Bank and the occupied territories from praying in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan.

CAIRO – 22 February 2024: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry asserted the importance of reforming the international governance to address geopolitics crises and priorities of sustainable development. The foreign minister's remarks were made while participating in a session themed, "Reforming Global Governance" on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro city in Brazil on Thursday. Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid said that Shoukry pointed out to challenges facing developing countries that would require reform of global governance to deal with geopolitics crises and priorities of sustainable development, topped by poverty. The reform should aim to scale up finance and easily get it and rely on grants and soft funding tools, he mentioned. Developing countries should deal with debt burden through the establishment of comprehensive and active mechanisms, he said.

File- new convoy of humanitarian aid entered into the Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side through the Rafah border crossing, Al Qahera News reportedCAIRO – 22 February 2024: Fifty aid trucks are currently entering the Gaza Strip, and 41 injured individuals and their accompanying caregivers will be received on Thursday, according to the Rafah Crossing administration. Additionally, several travelers coming from Gaza to Egypt will cross the border, including foreign passport holders and Palestinians working abroad, the administration added. In the past few hours, the crossing saw the arrival of 30 trucks carrying humanitarian aid destined for Gaza, along with 20 trucks carrying various goods, four trucks of cooking gas, and two trucks of diesel fuel. Each day, Egyptian medical teams stationed at the Rafah Crossing receive wounded and injured individuals from Gaza for treatment in Egyptian hospitals. Ambulances stationed at the crossing are ready to transport the patients and the injured.

This is part of the structural reforms that aim to improve governance, transparency, and sustainable development in state-owned assets. He added that the new agency is a unified organization that will take over the rights and obligations of the General Administration of Recovered Funds, the Central Administration for Agrarian Reform Resources and Compensations, and the Custodial Liquidation Agency. This will ensure the best use of state-owned assets and resources, increase the return on them, and manage and dispose of them properly. He said that a committee will be formed, led by the Minister of Finance and including representatives of some ministries, various state agencies, and economic and financial experts, to run this new agency. The Ministry also stressed that this new agency will manage public funds and may be subject to administrative seizure to exercise its rights.

Egypt gave an oral argument at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on Wednesday, on the UN General Assembly’s resolution that asks the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on the legal effects of Israeli practices in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. Egypt confirmed the ICJ’s jurisdiction to give advisory opinions on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, and its ability to support the goal of a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel. The Egyptian representative said that Israel was expanding settlements to change the demographics and illegally claim sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, which was a colonial act. The statement said that the Israeli occupation’s systematic practices are illegal and violate the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Egypt said that the West Bank and Gaza are part of the Palestinian territories and that the West Bank and East Jerusalem are occupied territories.

CAIRO – 22 February 2024: The Cabinet approved on Thursday suspending the load-shedding program across Egypt throughout the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The Cabinet has been implementing systematic power cuts in the different governorates since July last year due to the severe heatwave and significant increase in electricity consumption last summer. The increased consumption has put severe pressure on the power networks and subsequently led to a drop in their gas pressure, the government said at the time. Since June 2015, Egypt has achieved energy independence and electricity surplus, becoming also a significant exporter of natural gas, primarily to European markets. In 2018, Egypt proudly announced the attainment of self-sufficiency in natural gas consumption, marking the end of gas imports.