Israel returns trafficked artifacts to Egypt

Israel returned dozens of looted archaeological pieces to Egypt in a new sign of improving relations between the two countries in recent years.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (C) shakes hands with the director of the Israel Antiquities, Authority Eli Escozido (L).
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (C) shakes hands with the director of the Israel Antiquities, Authority Eli Escozido (L), during a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister and alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid (2nd-L) and his accompanying delegation, which saw the return of stolen Egyptian artifacts that were smuggled to Israel and returned to Egypt, at Tahrir Palace in Cairo on Dec. 9, 2021. - MOHAMED HOSSAM/AFP via Getty Images
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Mohamed Sabry
@MohamedSabry079

Egypt received 95 looted archaeological artifacts from Israel in the first such public move by Tel Aviv to return ancient items to Cairo. The pieces were transferred to Egypt by Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid during his meeting on Dec. 9 with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry.

A statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Shoukry thanked the Israeli government for its cooperation in returning the ancient pieces to Egypt.

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