Egypt expresses 'deep dissatisfaction' to Netherlands over embassy attack    Global pressure mounts as Gaza fighting intensifies and death toll surges    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    At TICAD, Egypt's education minister signs pacts with Casio, SAPIX    Egypt holds special importance for our investments across diverse sectors: Japanese minister    Cairo, Tokyo sign LOI to expand educational cooperation, support for persons with disabilities    Madbouly invites Japanese firms to establish industrial zone in SCZONE    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Al-Sisi meets Qatar PM, Bahrain security adviser to discuss Gaza crisis, regional stability    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Egypt, Israel add 'final touches' to prisoner swap

CAIRO: Egypt and Israel are adding the "final touches" to a deal to swap an Israel-American detained in Cairo for a group of Egyptian prisoners and children, the official MENA news agency said on Saturday.
"MENA has learned that the final touches are currently being made for a deal to swap Israeli spy Ilan Grapel, accused of spying on Egypt for Israel."
"After Egyptian efforts, the number of Egyptian prisoners held in Israeli jails to be released will be increased to between 20 and 30 prisoners," a high-level official told MENA.
The state agency had initially said that 16 Egyptians would be released in the deal, in addition to three children.
According to MENA, the three children had been acquitted by an Israeli court of illegally crossing into Israel to sell cigarettes, but prosecutors appealed the ruling.
The caretaker Cabinet tasked the foreign ministry on Thursday to oversee the exchange, two days after Israel freed hundreds of Palestinians for an Israeli soldier held by the Palestinian movement Hamas in an Egyptian-mediated swap.
Grapel, who has been in custody since June 12, is accused of being an agent of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and of sowing sectarian strife and chaos in Egypt during the uprising which ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February.
Egyptian media published photographs of Grapel after his arrest in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the uprising, inside a mosque and in a downtown Cairo bar.
Pictures taken from his Facebook account showed him in Israeli military uniform.
Grapel served in the military like most Israelis as a conscript and was wounded in its 2006 war with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Israel has strongly denied Egypt's accusations, insisting the whole thing was a mistake and accusing Egyptian authorities of "bizarre behavior."
Last week, unnamed Israel officials told public radio that a deal was in the works to release a US-Israeli joint national held in a Cairo prison in exchange for 81 Egyptians held in Israel.
News of the alleged deal emerged the day before the Egyptian-brokered prisoner swap which saw Israel agree to release a total of 1,027 Palestinians over two months in exchange for captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
Details of an exchange were first reported by Egypt's state-owned Al-Ahram daily, which said an accord was close "in which the spy Ilan Grapel... will be released in return for all Egyptians held in Israeli prisons."
Israel is holding 81 Egyptian prisoners, including three children, most of whom face criminal charges, including illegal entry to Israel, drug trafficking and arms possession.
"The success of the Egyptian mediation of the Shalit deal and Israel's formal apology to Egypt for the death of Egyptian soldiers killed on the border by Israeli fire certainly cleared the road for making the Grapel deal," Al-Ahram said.
Six Egyptian policemen were killed by Israeli fire on August 18 as Israeli troops chased Palestinian gunmen who carried out a series of shooting attacks that killed eight Israelis.


Clic here to read the story from its source.