Cairo: Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Haddad el Gohary announced that several hundred Egyptian nationals are expected to be released from prisons in Libya in the near future. He stated that procedures are currently underway to finalize their release, resolve their legal status, and facilitate their repatriation to Egypt.

According to State Information Service Egypt, el Gohary made these remarks during a meeting with over 200 families of Egyptians reported missing in Libya. He highlighted that the Egyptian consulate in Benghazi and the embassy in Tripoli are actively monitoring all missing-person reports across Libyan detention centers.

El Gohary noted that efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates led to the repatriation in 2025 of more than 3,000 Egyptians charged in illegal migration cases, the release of over 1,200 Egyptians from Libyan prisons, and the repatriation of more than 300 bodies at the state's expense following the sinking of migrant boats off the Libyan coast.

He urged the families of the missing to seek information through official channels and to be cautious of unknown individuals or groups who might exploit them for money in exchange for false claims about the whereabouts of their relatives.

El Gohary also encouraged families to take legal action against smugglers, traffickers, and illegal migration networks that pose dangers to lives and extort large sums from families for sending their children to Europe via irregular migration through neighboring countries. He stressed the importance of adhering to the entry rules of neighboring states through official visas and certified work contracts to safeguard the rights and lives of Egyptian citizens.