Gen. Abbas Kamel, a longtime confidant of Egypt’s president, oversaw the country’s most important international relationships and helped maintain the president’s authoritarian grip.

Abbas Kamel played an instrumental role in brokering cease-fire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi named Major General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad as head of the powerful general intelligence agency on Wednesday, appointing the outgoing chief Abbas Kamel as an adviser to the presidency.

Egypt's president on Wednesday appointed a new director of its General Intelligence Service, a powerful agency that has played a key role in Gaza cease-fire talks.