Egypt-Israel sign $35 billion gas deal

Hey friends,

Welcome back to another edition of the Egypt Weekly Roundup.

Before we dive into what’s been happening the past week — We’re thrilled to welcome Egyptian-British developer Alarinova as the newsletter’s official hospitality partner! 

We love putting this newsletter together and hearing how it helps thousands of you stay informed every week. Partners like Alarinova share that belief in quality, and their support is what keeps it free and accessible to all.

For the uninformed: Alarinova is a family-owned real estate and hospitality developer with over 175 years of combined experience across Egypt, the United Kingdom, and the Gulf. The company is now expanding its footprint through its collaboration with Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts — a globally recognized hospitality brand — to launch a coastal resort in Ain Sokhna.

Keep an eye out for our special edition newsletter articles that spotlight why this project is a game-changer, starting with today’s edition.

Thank you Alarinova for backing independent journalism and helping us tell stories that matter.

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• Israeli gas in Egypt 🛢️

• A 'no cars inside' coastal community 🏝️

• Egypt wants Sudan stable 🇸🇩

• Is GEM rain-proof? 🌧️

GAS | ISRAEL | IMPORT
NO NETANYAHU IN CAIRO, BUT A GIGANTIC GAS DEAL ANNOUNCED

In last week’s roundup, we wrote about Israeli media reports of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landing in Cairo to finalize a major gas deal. While Egypt’s State Information Service have since denied reports of Netanyahu’s visit, the historic gas agreement followed through.

Egypt has secured a landmark natural gas deal with Israel worth around EGP 1 trillion (USD 35 billion), marking a significant energy partnership. The agreement will see Egypt receiving natural gas from Israel's Leviathan field, enhancing Egypt's role as a key energy hub in the region. The long-term arrangement, signed in August with Chevron and Israeli partners, is set to deepen energy ties while feeding directly into Egypt’s strategy of positioning itself as a regional gas hub.​

Deal structure and economic stakes: The agreement envisages delivering a total of 130 billion cubic meters of gas to Egypt, helping plug the country’s energy shortfall after domestic production declines since 2022. Netanyahu has framed expected state revenue from the export contract—estimated at EGP 856 billion (USD 18 billion)—as a fiscal windfall that will be channeled into education, healthcare, and infrastructure in Israel.​

Egypt’s hub ambitions and European demand: Cairo presents the imports as a way to secure additional volumes for its liquefaction plants, enabling higher liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe at a time of continued demand for Eastern Mediterranean supplies. The deal builds on a 2022 framework agreement between Egypt, Israel, and the European Union that facilitates exporting gas, including Israeli volumes processed in Egypt, to European markets.​

Political sensitivities and official defense: Aware of domestic criticism over buying Israeli gas amid the war in Gaza, Egyptian officials stress that this arrangement is effectively an extension of a 2019 import deal rather than a new political concession.

EGYPT’S FIRST EV-ONLY COMMUNITY: WHY THIS COASTAL DESTINATION IS DITCHING CARS

Would you want your children to live in a space polluted with car smoke, breathing in corrupted air? You don’t have to be a clean energy evangelist to feel it: something needs to change in the way we build and live. Not just for us, but for future generations.

Egypt’s real estate boom has opened up incredible opportunities but it’s also raised tough questions: How do we preserve what makes these places magical? How do we keep them breathable, walkable, livable?

While there’s one too many answers, one company is starting with an important step: leave the fumes behind.

In Ain Sokhna, Steigenberger Resort Ayalora, Al Sokhna, a gated community now under construction, will only allow electric vehicles past its gates. No gas cars. No exceptions.

It’s a bold move from its developer, Alarinova, and depending on who you ask, it’s either visionary or questionable. But here’s the thing: the data is catching up to the vision.

Let the numbers speak: Egyptians bought close to 3,000 electric cars in 2024. While it may seem a drop in the ocean in a total of 102,200 vehicles sold that year, it’s double the number of EVs sold in 2023. That’s not just growth, that’s momentum. With rising fuel prices and cheaper EV models entering the market, adoption is no longer a niche. In fact, Egypt now leads Africa in electric vehicle sales, beating out countries like South Africa and Morocco.

And whether people like it or not, this is where the future is headed. The government has floated a complete petrol car phase-out by 2040 and is already offering customs exemptions for EV imports. If you’re raising children today, there’s a decent chance they’ll never drive a combustion-engine car.

Which brings us back to the resort: You could call it forward-thinking. Or you could call it overdue sustainability. Either way, it’s planting its flag early. Why raise children who will drive EVs in a space polluted with car fumes?

The community’s policy reflects a broader philosophy — designing places that are not only livable today, but responsible tomorrow. There’s no nostalgia here for traffic or smog. Just a quiet bet that the future is already here, and that people will welcome cleaner air when they feel it.

This isn’t just a green washing marketing ploy, either. The choice to go EV-only is part of the company’s wider ethos — one that favors low-impact living, walkability, and a more harmonious relationship to nature. As more of Egypt’s pristine coastline gets claimed by concrete and exhaust, Steigenberger Resort Ayalora, Al Sokhna is trying to sketch a different version of what a coastal retreat could be: peaceful, clean, and an example to show for future generations of real estate developments.

Find out more about the project by clicking here.

SUDAN | DIPLOMACY
EGYPT REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR SUDAN AS SISI HOSTS BURHAN IN CAIRO

President Al-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Sudan’s unity and stability during talks in Cairo with Sudan’s Transitional Military Council Chairman Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, as the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues to fuel one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Egypt’s security concerns and ‘red lines’: Cairo warned that Sudan’s stability is directly tied to Egypt’s national security, declaring that there are “red lines that cannot be crossed,” including any threats to Sudan’s unity, territorial integrity, or core state institutions. Egypt categorically rejected attempts to establish or recognize “parallel entities” inside Sudan, cautioning that such moves would undermine sovereignty and reserving the right to take all measures allowed under international law and bilateral defense agreements if its security is threatened.​

Diplomatic role and humanitarian focus: Al-Sisi underscored Egypt’s readiness to continue diplomatic efforts aimed at easing Sudan’s humanitarian crisis. The presidency said Cairo is pushing for safe corridors for civilians and aid delivery, positioning Egypt as both a mediator and a frontline state trying to prevent further destabilization along its southern border.​

Egypt and Sudan also reiterated a shared stance on water security, emphasizing cooperation and rejecting unilateral measures — hinting at Ethiopia — that could harm downstream states, underlining how the Sudan conflict intersects with broader regional power and resource struggles.

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GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM | TOURISM
GOVERNMENT DEFENDS GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM AMID QUESTIONS OVER DESIGN AND CROWDING

Egypt’s Cabinet moved quick to reassure the public that the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is operating normally and at full capacity after online criticism raised questions about the building’s design, visitor numbers, ticketing system, and reports of rainwater entering parts of the complex.

Rainwater, architecture, and safety: Responding to videos and posts showing water inside the museum, the Cabinet said limited rainwater seepage into the main hall is consistent with GEM’s design, which incorporates engineered openings in the roof to allow natural lighting and ventilation. Authorities stressed that these features do not compromise safety or operations, and that any affected flooring in external areas is linked to temporary installations used during opening events and is now being repaired in phases without disrupting visitors.​

Ticketing, pricing, and crowd control: As of 1 December, entry has shifted to an online-only ticketing system, with on-site ticket sales discontinued in a move the government says is meant to better manage visitor flows, enhance safety and comfort, and protect the museum’s collections.​

Officials say the museum, which opened to the public in early November on the Giza Plateau, has been receiving around 15,000 visitors per day – its maximum planned daily capacity – with what they describe as orderly and well-managed crowds.​