Good afternoon, friends, and congratulations on making it to the halfway mark of a shorter-than-usual workweek. At home, things are on the calmer end, whereas global headlines are dominated by Israel's attack on Gaza and Russia's attack on Ukraine.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

Qatar is gearing up to invest USD 4 bn in Egypt’s North Coast, Asharq Business reports citing three sources it says are familiar with the matter. The Gulf state is finalizing an agreement to build a 60k feddans tourist city in Alm El Room, packed with resorts, luxury housing, and a yacht marina. The land will be allocated under a usufruct agreement with the Qatar Investment Authority, the sources said.

The National Printing Company is reviving its EGX IPO plans. The company is taking a 10% stake (21.2 mn shares) to market via a secondary offering, split evenly between a public tranche — open to both retail and institutional investors — and a private tranche fully taken up by Saudi investor Omran Mohammed AlOmran, according to its intention to float (ITF) document (pdf). Subscriptions open Sunday, 27 July and close Thursday, 31 July.

ICYMI- The IPO, which was signaled in mid-2023, was put on ice late last month amid geopolitical concerns. It now seems on track for the originally planned 2H 2025 debut.

** We’ll have more on all of the above in tomorrow’s edition of EnterpriseAM Egypt.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Israeli forces entered Deir Al-Balah in Gaza for the first time, killing at least eight people. The assault targeted the southern and eastern parts of the city, where Israeli sources claim Hamas may be holding hostages. Tank shelling hit homes and mosques just a day after evacuation orders were issued, forcing dozens of families to flee toward the coastal areas and near Khan Younis. (Reuters | The Guardian | BBC)

Gaza’s starvation crisis worsens amidst the attacks, with hospitals overwhelmed by cases of severe malnutrition. Gaza’s Health Ministry is reporting at least 86 deaths from hunger since the war began, most of which are children. UN agencies are warning that famine is spreading rapidly as aid trucks remain stuck at the border and food prices continue to skyrocket. Meanwhile, hundreds have been killed trying to access food, and medical staff say they lack resources to treat the growing number of starving civilians. (CNN | Sky News | Al Jazeera)

MEANWHILE- Russia launched overnight air strikes on Kyiv, Ukraine, killing two people and injuring 15 others. The attack — the largest of its kind in recent months — targeted the entryway to a subway station where people were sheltering, as well as a kindergarten, supermarket, and warehouse. The series of Russian drone and missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital comes hours ahead of scheduled talks between the UK and Germany to discuss US President Donald Trump’s plans for NATO members to provide the Ukrainian side with weapons, following failure to obtain a ceasefire from Russia. (Reuters | AP | NYT | CNN)

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- We’d plan around staying indoors, as temperatures in Cairo are set to peak at 38°C, before cooling down to 24°C. Up north, it’s going to be slightly cooler with a high of 29°C and a low of 26°C, according to our favorite weather app.