Egypt - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Egypt cover image

Egypt

July 16, 2026

Cairo 3:09 pm

36°C

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Egyptian counterpart, Lt. Gen. Ashraf Salem Zaher, met at the Turkey’s Defense Ministry in Ankara, July 13, 2026.

Turkey, Egypt expand military ties with cooperation frameworks: What to know

Increasing defense cooperation between Ankara and Cairo comes as Turkey seeks to offset the expanding Greek-Cypriot-Israeli alignment in the Eastern Mediterranean.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 07: Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina competes for the ball against Ramy Rabia #5 of Egypt during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Culture

'We have been cheated': Egypt slams FIFA after loss to Argentina

FIFA has faced scrutiny throughout the tournament over its video assistant referee, which overturned a goal that could have helped Egypt defeat the South American giant.

Egypt

Egypt loses to Argentina 3-2, bows out of World Cup after historic run

Egypt's Round of 16 appearance was the deepest run in the national team's World Cup history after three previous appearances ended in the group stage.

Latest News

Culture

Egypt, Morocco, Algeria make World Cup history in knockout stage

Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP via Getty Images

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

In London, reporting on North Africa and Gulf politics

Mohammed Magdy

In Berlin, reporting on Egyptian politics

Ayah Aman

In Cairo, reporting on politics and culture

Salwa Samir

In Giza, reporting on politics

Nada Shaker

In Cairo, reporting on culture

Muslim Brotherhood's President-elect Mohamed Morsy is seen on screens at the Egyptian Television headquarters control room during his first televised address to the nation in Cairo June 24, 2012. Morsy's victory in Egypt's presidential election takes the Muslim Brotherhood's long power struggle with the military into a new round that will be fought inside the institutions of state themselves and may force new compromises on the Islamists. Picture taken June 24, 2012. To match Analysis EGYPT-ELECTION/STRUGGL

Muslim Brotherhood's media machinations

Although the Muslim Brotherhood complains of media bias favoring Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, their own media apparatus under President Mohammed Morsi was no better.

What made Abbas change position on Gaza war?

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas surprised many, including his Palestinian critics, when he publicly expressed support for armed resistance against Israel in Gaza.

Lebanon's Hezbollah supporters hold banners and wave Hezbollah (C) and Palestinian flags (L) during a demonstration against Israel's military action in Gaza, in front of the United Nations headquarters in Beirut July 18, 2014. Israel stepped up its land offensive in Gaza with artillery, tanks and gunboats on Friday and declared it could "significantly widen" an operation Palestinian officials said was killing ever greater numbers of civilians. Israeli gunboats lit up the sky with their fire before dawn whil

Hezbollah, Hamas repair political ties during breakup

The fraught relations between Hezbollah and Hamas could come to an end as Israel continues its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.

A protester covers his face as he stands in front of tear gas during clashes with riot police along a road at Kornish El Nile which leads to the U.S. embassy, near Tahrir Square in Cairo September 15, 2012. Clashes near the U.S. Embassy in central Cairo between police and Egyptians incensed over a film denigrating the Prophet Mohammad entered their fourth day early on Saturday, leaving one protester dead and dozens more injured. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST RELIGION) - R

Egypt campaigns against atheism

The Egyptian government begins a new program to combat the rise of atheism; however, activists question whether this increase is even real.

U.S. ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson attends a meeting between Egypt's interim President Adli Mansour and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns at El-Thadiya presidential palace in Cairo, July 15, 2013. Burns, the first senior U.S. official to visit Egypt since the army toppled its elected president meets officials on Monday to urge them to swiftly restore democracy, while thousands of supporters of the ousted Islamist leader take to the streets. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS

Both Egypt, US reviewing their relations, Egypt's envoy says

Egypt’s US Ambassador Mohamed Tawfik told Al-Monitor that the review of relations is not a downgrade, but aims to ensure ties are strengthened 'on sounder and stronger foundations'.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks to reporters after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah July 23, 2014. Israeli forces pounded Gaza on Wednesday, meeting stiff resistance from Hamas Islamists and sending thousands of residents fleeing, as Kerry said on his visit to Israel ceasefire talks had made some progress. Israel launched its offensive on July 8 to halt missile salvoes by Hamas and its allies, struggling under the weight of an Israeli-Egyptian economic

New moves by Saudi Arabia, Qatar signal drive for cease-fire

Regional capitals are seeing intense diplomatic activity, while regional powers and Washington agree on the need to end the war in Gaza as soon as possible.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) speaks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo July 22, 2014. Israel pounded targets across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, saying no ceasefire was near as top U.S. and U.N. diplomats pursued talks on halting fighting that has claimed more than 500 lives. Dispatched by U.S. President Barack Obama to the Middle East to seek a ceasefire, Kerry held talks on Tuesday in Cairo with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri. REUTERS/Charles Dharapak/Pool (EGYPT - Tags

Egypt's Sisi holds Hamas' fate in his hands

Hamas has made a desperate bid for Qatar's support, but even Qatar's money won't save it if Egypt doesn't open the crossings into Gaza.

A general view of the venue during an extraordinary session of the Arab League at the league's headquarters in Cairo July 14, 2014. Egypt launched an initiative on Monday to halt fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants, proposing a ceasefire to be followed by talks in Cairo on settling the conflict in which Gaza authorities say more than 170 people have died. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3YNOV

Cease-fire initiatives pit Turkey against Egypt

Is Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan more concerned with undermining Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi than to broker a cease-fire in Gaza?

Muslims visit and walk in front of the Mecca Clock Tower after they finished their Umrah Mawlid al-Nabawi pilgrimage, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca January 14, 2014. Muslims mark Eid Mawlid al-Nabawi, or the birth of Prophet Mohammad, on Tuesday. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: RELIGION ANNIVERSARY) - RTX17DLC

Saudi Arabia denies visas to Egyptian pilgrims

As Saudi authorities denied Umrah visas to more than 50,000 Egyptians, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism says the crisis with Saudi Arabia is being solved.

Egypt scrambles to stop missiles launched at Israel from Sinai

Reports of rockets fired at Israel by militants in the Sinai Peninsula are an embarrassment for the Egyptian government as they struggle to contain insurgent groups in the region.

Smoke trails are seen as rockets are launched towards Israel from the northern Gaza Strip July 13, 2014. Thousands fled their homes in a Gaza town on Sunday after Israel warned them to leave ahead of threatened attacks on rocket-launching sites, on the sixth day of an offensive that Palestinian officials said has killed at least 160 people. Militants in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip kept up rockets salvoes deep into the Jewish state and the worst bout of Israel-Palestinian bloodshed in two years showed no sign

Iran boosts Hamas rocket capacity

Congress is skeptical of extending of Iran talks; Iran has a hand in Gaza; acrimony between Egypt and Hamas is hindering a cease-fire agreement; and the Islamic State using the Turkish Consulate in Mosul as its headquarters.

Israeli tanks manoeuvre outside the northern Gaza Strip July 18, 2014. Israel intensified its land offensive in Gaza with artillery, tanks and gunboats on Friday and warned it could "significantly widen" an operation Palestinian officials said was killing ever greater numbers of civilians. The Israeli land advance followed 10 days of barrages against Gaza from air and sea, hundreds of rockets fired by Hamas into Israel and failed attempts by Egypt, a broker of ceasefires in previous Israeli-Palestinian flar

Israeli Cabinet members blame US for failed cease-fire

Backed by Qatar and Turkey and facing American hesitance, Hamas refused the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire, forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin a ground operation in Gaza to destroy the tunnel networks.