25 aug 2015
First Deputy Chairman of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Dr. Ahmed Baher called Tuesday for forming a Palestinian-Egyptian investigatory committee to reveal the destiny of the four Palestinians abducted in Sinai.
During a protest vigil organized Tuesday in solidarity with the abducted youths’ families, Dr. Baher considered the kidnapping of four Palestinians in Sinai as a political and moral crime par excellence.
It was a serious attempt to drag Gaza Strip and Palestinian resistance into a mysterious trap, he said.
Such serious operation aims to drive a wedge between the Palestinians and Egyptians brothers, and to prevent any efforts made to restore Palestinian-Egyptian official relations, Dr. Baher continued.
He called on Egyptian authorities to work for the release of the four abducted young men, saying that Egypt is completely responsible for their safety.
On the other hand, he slammed the continued silence of the Palestinian Authority and its Embassy in Egypt over the kidnapping of four Palestinians outside the Palestinian territories.
The PA continued silence raises strong doubt and suspicion, he said.
For its part, the Palestinian Scholars Association condemned the abduction of four Palestinians in Egyptian territories and called for their immediate release and return to their families.
During the vigil, the abducted youths’ families launched an appeal for their release especially that they entered Egypt with a legal permit.
The families also called on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and human right institutions to immediately intervene for their sons’ release.
On Wednesday evening, armed men stopped a bus that was transferring passengers from Rafah crossing to Cairo Airport, just a short distance of the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
During a protest vigil organized Tuesday in solidarity with the abducted youths’ families, Dr. Baher considered the kidnapping of four Palestinians in Sinai as a political and moral crime par excellence.
It was a serious attempt to drag Gaza Strip and Palestinian resistance into a mysterious trap, he said.
Such serious operation aims to drive a wedge between the Palestinians and Egyptians brothers, and to prevent any efforts made to restore Palestinian-Egyptian official relations, Dr. Baher continued.
He called on Egyptian authorities to work for the release of the four abducted young men, saying that Egypt is completely responsible for their safety.
On the other hand, he slammed the continued silence of the Palestinian Authority and its Embassy in Egypt over the kidnapping of four Palestinians outside the Palestinian territories.
The PA continued silence raises strong doubt and suspicion, he said.
For its part, the Palestinian Scholars Association condemned the abduction of four Palestinians in Egyptian territories and called for their immediate release and return to their families.
During the vigil, the abducted youths’ families launched an appeal for their release especially that they entered Egypt with a legal permit.
The families also called on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and human right institutions to immediately intervene for their sons’ release.
On Wednesday evening, armed men stopped a bus that was transferring passengers from Rafah crossing to Cairo Airport, just a short distance of the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
Deputy Head of Hamas’s Political Bureau Ismail Haneyya asserted his Movement’s keenness to exert all possible efforts to save the lives of the abducted Palestinians in Sinai.
This came during Haneyya’s meeting on Monday with the families of the four Palestinian young men who were abducted in Sinai while travelling to Cairo via Rafah border crossing last Wednesday.
The four were identified as Yaser Zanoun, Hussein al-Zebdeh, Abdullah Abu Al-Jebin and Abduldayim Abu Lebdeh.
Haneyya listened to the families’ demands in the meeting, which was attended by member of Hamas political bureau Imad al-Alami, and two leaders of Islamic Jihad, Fathi Hammad and Tawfiq Abu Naeim. Haneyya, in return, expressed his solidarity with the families.
He asked the Egyptian authorities to work immediately on releasing the abducted young men as being in charge of security affairs in the region.
Hamas released a press statement on Monday in which it held the Egyptian authorities completely responsible for the safety of the abducted men. Hamas urged the authorities to release the four Palestinians immediately in order to maintain the Palestinian-Egyptian relations.
On Wednesday evening, armed men stopped a bus that was transferring passengers from Rafah crossing to Cairo Airport, just a short distance of the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
This came during Haneyya’s meeting on Monday with the families of the four Palestinian young men who were abducted in Sinai while travelling to Cairo via Rafah border crossing last Wednesday.
The four were identified as Yaser Zanoun, Hussein al-Zebdeh, Abdullah Abu Al-Jebin and Abduldayim Abu Lebdeh.
Haneyya listened to the families’ demands in the meeting, which was attended by member of Hamas political bureau Imad al-Alami, and two leaders of Islamic Jihad, Fathi Hammad and Tawfiq Abu Naeim. Haneyya, in return, expressed his solidarity with the families.
He asked the Egyptian authorities to work immediately on releasing the abducted young men as being in charge of security affairs in the region.
Hamas released a press statement on Monday in which it held the Egyptian authorities completely responsible for the safety of the abducted men. Hamas urged the authorities to release the four Palestinians immediately in order to maintain the Palestinian-Egyptian relations.
On Wednesday evening, armed men stopped a bus that was transferring passengers from Rafah crossing to Cairo Airport, just a short distance of the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
23 aug 2015
Senior Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk on Saturday afternoon held the Egyptian authorities responsible for the safety of the four Palestinians kidnapped by anonymous gunmen in Sinai earlier this week.
Four Palestinians were kidnapped late Wednesday evening in northern Sinai after a bus carrying them from the Rafah border crossing was intercepted by unidentified gunmen en route to the Cairo international airport.
“Egypt bears direct responsibility for the safety and security of the four kidnapped Palestinians,” Abu Marzouk told al-Jazeera.
He voiced hope that the Egyptian authorities would take serious measures to detect the perpetrators of the abduction and bring back the captives at the soonest time possible.
A spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades said Friday the abduction of the four Palestinians shall never go unnoticed.
An earlier statement by Hamas dubbed the incident a serious violation of security and diplomatic norms.
The captives’ families appealed to the Egyptian foreign ministry to uncover the fate of their kidnapped relatives.
Four Palestinians were kidnapped late Wednesday evening in northern Sinai after a bus carrying them from the Rafah border crossing was intercepted by unidentified gunmen en route to the Cairo international airport.
“Egypt bears direct responsibility for the safety and security of the four kidnapped Palestinians,” Abu Marzouk told al-Jazeera.
He voiced hope that the Egyptian authorities would take serious measures to detect the perpetrators of the abduction and bring back the captives at the soonest time possible.
A spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades said Friday the abduction of the four Palestinians shall never go unnoticed.
An earlier statement by Hamas dubbed the incident a serious violation of security and diplomatic norms.
The captives’ families appealed to the Egyptian foreign ministry to uncover the fate of their kidnapped relatives.
The families of the four Gazan passengers who were recently kidnapped in the Sinai have appealed to the Egyptian foreign ministry to help them know the fate of their relatives.
This came in a letter sent on Saturday by the families of the four abductees, Yaser Zanoun, Hussein al-Zabda, Abdullah Abul-Jabin and Abdul-Dayem Abu Labda, to the Palestinian affairs office at the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Their letter stated that the abductees were en route to their workplaces and universities in other countries through Cairo airport after the Egyptian authorities officially gave them entry visas, pointing out that the bus they were aboard was under the protection of the security authorities in Rafah.
The families appealed to director of the office Yaser Othman to help them know the whereabouts and fate of their relatives and to find out if they were kidnapped by an Egyptian security apparatus.
Gunmen on Wednesday night kidnapped four Palestinian passengers from a deportation bus heading for Cairo airport within walking distance of the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing.
This came in a letter sent on Saturday by the families of the four abductees, Yaser Zanoun, Hussein al-Zabda, Abdullah Abul-Jabin and Abdul-Dayem Abu Labda, to the Palestinian affairs office at the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Their letter stated that the abductees were en route to their workplaces and universities in other countries through Cairo airport after the Egyptian authorities officially gave them entry visas, pointing out that the bus they were aboard was under the protection of the security authorities in Rafah.
The families appealed to director of the office Yaser Othman to help them know the whereabouts and fate of their relatives and to find out if they were kidnapped by an Egyptian security apparatus.
Gunmen on Wednesday night kidnapped four Palestinian passengers from a deportation bus heading for Cairo airport within walking distance of the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing.
22 aug 2015
Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, warned that it will not stand idle towards kidnapping four Palestinian students by Egyptian gunmen while they were en route from Rafah border crossing to Cairo.
A spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades said at a military parade in Rafah, south of Gaza, "We will not let this incident pass unnoticed and we will not talk a lot, in the right time everyone will know that we are saying the truth."
He also renewed al-Qassam's promises to free the Palestinian captives in the Israeli jails, urging them to be patient and to trust al-Qassam Brigades and the resistance which will never give up on them and stressed that their patience will not last long.
The spokesman praised the leaders and the martyrs of al-Asf al-Maakoul battle in summer 2014, who sacrificed their lives for the sake of defending their people and land.
For its part, “Insan” Human Rights Center held the Egyptian authorities legally and ethically responsible for the lives of the four Palestinian citizens.
The center said, in a press statement on Friday, that the Egyptian authorities have opened Rafah crossing for humanitarian cases and students. However, while an Egyptian deportation bus, which is supposed to be under the protection of the Egyptian security, was leaving from Rafah crossing on Wednesday, Egyptian gunmen intercepted the bus and took four students at gunpoint to an unknown destination.
The Center expressed its concern that the four Palestinians might be handed over to the Israeli occupation which will negatively affect the passengers who can't travel or are afraid of traveling through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, and now they also have become afraid of being kidnapped by the Egyptian authorities.
The center held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the Gazans' suffering due to the unjust siege and the crossings' closure.
In conclusion, the human rights center called for releasing the Palestinian students and facilitating their travel, and called on Egypt not to be partner with Israel in increasing the Palestinians' pain and suffering.
It finally asked the Egyptian authorities to open Rafah crossing permanently.
A spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades said at a military parade in Rafah, south of Gaza, "We will not let this incident pass unnoticed and we will not talk a lot, in the right time everyone will know that we are saying the truth."
He also renewed al-Qassam's promises to free the Palestinian captives in the Israeli jails, urging them to be patient and to trust al-Qassam Brigades and the resistance which will never give up on them and stressed that their patience will not last long.
The spokesman praised the leaders and the martyrs of al-Asf al-Maakoul battle in summer 2014, who sacrificed their lives for the sake of defending their people and land.
For its part, “Insan” Human Rights Center held the Egyptian authorities legally and ethically responsible for the lives of the four Palestinian citizens.
The center said, in a press statement on Friday, that the Egyptian authorities have opened Rafah crossing for humanitarian cases and students. However, while an Egyptian deportation bus, which is supposed to be under the protection of the Egyptian security, was leaving from Rafah crossing on Wednesday, Egyptian gunmen intercepted the bus and took four students at gunpoint to an unknown destination.
The Center expressed its concern that the four Palestinians might be handed over to the Israeli occupation which will negatively affect the passengers who can't travel or are afraid of traveling through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, and now they also have become afraid of being kidnapped by the Egyptian authorities.
The center held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the Gazans' suffering due to the unjust siege and the crossings' closure.
In conclusion, the human rights center called for releasing the Palestinian students and facilitating their travel, and called on Egypt not to be partner with Israel in increasing the Palestinians' pain and suffering.
It finally asked the Egyptian authorities to open Rafah crossing permanently.
21 aug 2015
The Hamas Movement strongly denounced the kidnapping of four Palestinian citizens from Gaza in the Sinai and described it as a "serious incident that cannot go unnoticed."
In a press release on Thursday, Hamas also condemned the incident as a serious violation of the diplomatic and security norms that govern Egypt's relations with the Palestinian authorities in Gaza.
The Movement expressed its concern over the mutual relations between the two sides if the Egyptian security authorities did not work swiftly on arresting the captors and bringing back the kidnapped citizens.
Hamas underlined that the bus which the Egyptian security authorities used to transfer deported Palestinian passengers from Rafah to Cairo was under their protection and the incident occurred within walking distance of the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing.
It added that the gunmen hijacked the bus and called four young men by name from a list they had before rounding them up and taking them to an unknown destination.
"Immediately after the incident took place, the Egyptian security authorities were contacted to hold them responsible for bringing those citizens safely to their country, especially since they crossed the border with the consent of the authorities there," Hamas noted.
Demands for the release of 4 Palestinians kidnapped in Sinai
Dozens of Palestinian students demonstrated Thursday evening near Rafah border crossing demanding the release of four of their colleagues who were kidnapped Wednesday in the Egyptian area of Rafah.
Families of the four kidnapped passengers have participated in the protest vigil, holding banners calling on Egyptian authorities to act urgently for their release.
The participants strongly condemned the incident, stressing that the four kidnapped students do not pose any threat to the Egyptian security.
Spokesperson for the Islamic student bloc in Gaza affirmed that the four kidnapped passengers were on their way to Egypt for treatment and education.
He called on Egyptian authorities to make all possible efforts for their release as soon as possible and to work for their safe return to their families.
On Wednesday, four Palestinian passengers were kidnapped as they were en route from Rafah border crossing to Cairo airport aboard an Egyptian deportation bus.
Spokesman for the interior ministry Iyad al-Bazem stated in a press release that gunmen intercepted the deportation bus in the Egyptian area of Rafah and took the Palestinians to an unknown destination.
In a press release on Thursday, Hamas also condemned the incident as a serious violation of the diplomatic and security norms that govern Egypt's relations with the Palestinian authorities in Gaza.
The Movement expressed its concern over the mutual relations between the two sides if the Egyptian security authorities did not work swiftly on arresting the captors and bringing back the kidnapped citizens.
Hamas underlined that the bus which the Egyptian security authorities used to transfer deported Palestinian passengers from Rafah to Cairo was under their protection and the incident occurred within walking distance of the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing.
It added that the gunmen hijacked the bus and called four young men by name from a list they had before rounding them up and taking them to an unknown destination.
"Immediately after the incident took place, the Egyptian security authorities were contacted to hold them responsible for bringing those citizens safely to their country, especially since they crossed the border with the consent of the authorities there," Hamas noted.
Demands for the release of 4 Palestinians kidnapped in Sinai
Dozens of Palestinian students demonstrated Thursday evening near Rafah border crossing demanding the release of four of their colleagues who were kidnapped Wednesday in the Egyptian area of Rafah.
Families of the four kidnapped passengers have participated in the protest vigil, holding banners calling on Egyptian authorities to act urgently for their release.
The participants strongly condemned the incident, stressing that the four kidnapped students do not pose any threat to the Egyptian security.
Spokesperson for the Islamic student bloc in Gaza affirmed that the four kidnapped passengers were on their way to Egypt for treatment and education.
He called on Egyptian authorities to make all possible efforts for their release as soon as possible and to work for their safe return to their families.
On Wednesday, four Palestinian passengers were kidnapped as they were en route from Rafah border crossing to Cairo airport aboard an Egyptian deportation bus.
Spokesman for the interior ministry Iyad al-Bazem stated in a press release that gunmen intercepted the deportation bus in the Egyptian area of Rafah and took the Palestinians to an unknown destination.
20 aug 2015
The Egyptian Interior Ministry has reported that unknown gunmen have kidnapped four Palestinians, on Wednesday at night, while traveling in the Egyptian city of Rafah, in the North Sinai Governorate.
Spokesperson of the Egyptian Interior Ministry Eyad al-Bozom said the Palestinians were traveling in a deportation bus, guarded by Egyptian security officers, in the Egyptian Rafah city, before several gunmen intercepted the bus, and abducted the four Palestinians.
He added that Egypt is holding extensive talks with various parties in an attempt to secure the safe release of the kidnapped Palestinians.
Spokesperson of the Egyptian Interior Ministry Eyad al-Bozom said the Palestinians were traveling in a deportation bus, guarded by Egyptian security officers, in the Egyptian Rafah city, before several gunmen intercepted the bus, and abducted the four Palestinians.
He added that Egypt is holding extensive talks with various parties in an attempt to secure the safe release of the kidnapped Palestinians.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday called on Egypt to keep the Rafah Crossing opened to facilitate the movement of Palestinians and goods in to and out of the Gaza Strip, the Anadolu Agency reported.
During the regular meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman said: “Ki-moon told the Egyptian authorities about the importance of keeping the Rafah Crossing opened on a regular basis.”
The UN official hailed the Egyptian decision to open the Rafah Crossing for four days, adding that he is aware of Egypt’s security fears.
Feltman said: “Unlimited pressure on the economic and social sectors in Gaza due to the continuous closure of the Rafah Crossing, electricity and water shortage and slow reconstruction all are factors fostering distress feelings among the Strip’s residents.”
He also warned of the shortage of the UNRWA funds to the level that it is unable to meet the needs of the Gaza Strip.
During the regular meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman said: “Ki-moon told the Egyptian authorities about the importance of keeping the Rafah Crossing opened on a regular basis.”
The UN official hailed the Egyptian decision to open the Rafah Crossing for four days, adding that he is aware of Egypt’s security fears.
Feltman said: “Unlimited pressure on the economic and social sectors in Gaza due to the continuous closure of the Rafah Crossing, electricity and water shortage and slow reconstruction all are factors fostering distress feelings among the Strip’s residents.”
He also warned of the shortage of the UNRWA funds to the level that it is unable to meet the needs of the Gaza Strip.
18 aug 2015
An official from Hamas has been detained at Cairo airport as he tried to enter Egypt, an airport source said Tuesday.
Hassan al-Saifi, whose name figures on an Egyptian watch list, was detained on arrival Monday, the source said, adding he was still at the airport and would likely be deported.
It was not immediately clear why he was detained. Egypt this week temporarily opened its Rafah border crossing with Gaza and Saifi might have been trying to reach the Israeli-blockaded enclave.
Egypt, under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has had strained relations with Hamas. Hamas is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood movement of Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi, whom Sisi overthrew in 2013 when he was army chief.
An Egyptian court had blacklisted Hamas as a terrorist organisation, but the ruling was overturned on appeal earlier this year.
Egypt detains Palestinian deputy minister at Cairo airport
The Egyptian authorities have detained the Gaza-based Deputy Awqaf Minister Hassan Al-Saifi at Cairo international Airport, Quds Press reported on Tuesday. Local sources said that Al-Saifi was returning from Saudi Arabia to the Gaza Strip when he was stopped.
Contact was lost with the Palestinian official once he arrived at the airport. Although it was expected that he would be deported to Gaza through the Rafah Crossing as soon as possible, he is still in Egypt two days after the border crossing was opened by the Egyptian authorities.
Family sources said that Al-Saifi was commissioned by the awqaf minister of the Palestinian unity government to travel to Saudi Arabia to make arrangements for pilgrims from Palestine attending this year’s Hajj.
The detention of Al-Saifi, who is a senior Hamas official, came after claims by several of the movement’s leaders saying that relations with Egypt have been improving.
Hassan al-Saifi, whose name figures on an Egyptian watch list, was detained on arrival Monday, the source said, adding he was still at the airport and would likely be deported.
It was not immediately clear why he was detained. Egypt this week temporarily opened its Rafah border crossing with Gaza and Saifi might have been trying to reach the Israeli-blockaded enclave.
Egypt, under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has had strained relations with Hamas. Hamas is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood movement of Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi, whom Sisi overthrew in 2013 when he was army chief.
An Egyptian court had blacklisted Hamas as a terrorist organisation, but the ruling was overturned on appeal earlier this year.
Egypt detains Palestinian deputy minister at Cairo airport
The Egyptian authorities have detained the Gaza-based Deputy Awqaf Minister Hassan Al-Saifi at Cairo international Airport, Quds Press reported on Tuesday. Local sources said that Al-Saifi was returning from Saudi Arabia to the Gaza Strip when he was stopped.
Contact was lost with the Palestinian official once he arrived at the airport. Although it was expected that he would be deported to Gaza through the Rafah Crossing as soon as possible, he is still in Egypt two days after the border crossing was opened by the Egyptian authorities.
Family sources said that Al-Saifi was commissioned by the awqaf minister of the Palestinian unity government to travel to Saudi Arabia to make arrangements for pilgrims from Palestine attending this year’s Hajj.
The detention of Al-Saifi, who is a senior Hamas official, came after claims by several of the movement’s leaders saying that relations with Egypt have been improving.
Egyptian security sources said Tuesday that the Egyptian army is planning to fill a kilometer-long trench along the Gazan border with seawater to be used for fish farming.
The project, aimed at preventing smuggling tunnels into Gaza, will also serve a commercial purpose, the sources told Ma'an.
They have already dug 1 kilometer of the 20-meter deep trench, although they said that work is continuing to lengthen it. They said that it would be filled with seawater from the Mediterranean, using pumps and pipelines, adding that engineers were already preparing the pumps.
The claims could not be confirmed. The Egyptian military said in June that it was digging a trench along the Gazan border, 20 meters deep and 10 meters wide, outside of Rafah city. By the end of April, Egypt had demolished around 1,110 houses on the Egyptian side of Rafah City to clear way for a 1-kilometer buffer zone along the border, although in June it was revealed that up to 10,000 more homes might eventually be torn down.
The idea of a moat along the Gaza-Egypt border has in the past been suggested several times by both Egyptian and Israeli authorities, who have together maintained a crippling blockade on the impoverished coastal enclave since 2007.
In 2004, as Israel prepared to withdraw from the territory, the Israeli Defense Ministry began inviting bids from contractors to work on a moat, although the plans were later dropped. The Egyptian security sources on Tuesday said that the most recent plans came about after a previous project failed.
They indicated that the commercial aspect of fish farming might encourage investment this time. They added that as part of another project, military engineers were about to complete a water pipe with a 20-inch diameter along the Gazan border, providing water to destroy smuggling tunnels as needed.
The smuggling tunnels have served as a lifeline to the outside world for Gaza's 1.8 million inhabitants since Israel began its military blockade in 2007.
While the tunnels are used by Hamas as a source of tax revenue and inflow of weapons, they also supply highly-demanded necessities for Gazans including food, medicine, as well as infrastructure materials including concrete and fuel.
Egypt has sought to destroy the tunnels as part of an ongoing security campaign in the northern Sinai against anti-regime militants launching attacks on Egyptian police and military personnel. Egypt accuses Hamas of supporting the insurgents.
Hamas, which denies Egyptian accusations, has suffered poor relations with the Egyptian government ever since the democratically-elected Muslim Brotherhood, with whom they were closely allied, was thrown out of power in July 2013.
The Egyptian army has destroyed hundreds of smuggling tunnels since then, though new ones continue to be found.
The project, aimed at preventing smuggling tunnels into Gaza, will also serve a commercial purpose, the sources told Ma'an.
They have already dug 1 kilometer of the 20-meter deep trench, although they said that work is continuing to lengthen it. They said that it would be filled with seawater from the Mediterranean, using pumps and pipelines, adding that engineers were already preparing the pumps.
The claims could not be confirmed. The Egyptian military said in June that it was digging a trench along the Gazan border, 20 meters deep and 10 meters wide, outside of Rafah city. By the end of April, Egypt had demolished around 1,110 houses on the Egyptian side of Rafah City to clear way for a 1-kilometer buffer zone along the border, although in June it was revealed that up to 10,000 more homes might eventually be torn down.
The idea of a moat along the Gaza-Egypt border has in the past been suggested several times by both Egyptian and Israeli authorities, who have together maintained a crippling blockade on the impoverished coastal enclave since 2007.
In 2004, as Israel prepared to withdraw from the territory, the Israeli Defense Ministry began inviting bids from contractors to work on a moat, although the plans were later dropped. The Egyptian security sources on Tuesday said that the most recent plans came about after a previous project failed.
They indicated that the commercial aspect of fish farming might encourage investment this time. They added that as part of another project, military engineers were about to complete a water pipe with a 20-inch diameter along the Gazan border, providing water to destroy smuggling tunnels as needed.
The smuggling tunnels have served as a lifeline to the outside world for Gaza's 1.8 million inhabitants since Israel began its military blockade in 2007.
While the tunnels are used by Hamas as a source of tax revenue and inflow of weapons, they also supply highly-demanded necessities for Gazans including food, medicine, as well as infrastructure materials including concrete and fuel.
Egypt has sought to destroy the tunnels as part of an ongoing security campaign in the northern Sinai against anti-regime militants launching attacks on Egyptian police and military personnel. Egypt accuses Hamas of supporting the insurgents.
Hamas, which denies Egyptian accusations, has suffered poor relations with the Egyptian government ever since the democratically-elected Muslim Brotherhood, with whom they were closely allied, was thrown out of power in July 2013.
The Egyptian army has destroyed hundreds of smuggling tunnels since then, though new ones continue to be found.
12 aug 2015
President of Egypt, Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi
Five senior Israeli officials arrived in Cairo yesterday and spend several hours meeting their Egyptian counterparts before returning to Tel Aviv, the Anadolu Agency reported.
Egyptian security sources told Anadolu that the Israeli delegation consisted of five, including Israeli negotiator Yitzhak Molcho.
The sources said that the Israeli officials arrived in Cairo at midday and departed on board a private plane several hours later.
No information was released about the visit prior to it taking place.
Egyptian-Israeli relations have improving and strengthening, especially regarding security issues, since the ouster of the first freely elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and the start of President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi's rule.
Five senior Israeli officials arrived in Cairo yesterday and spend several hours meeting their Egyptian counterparts before returning to Tel Aviv, the Anadolu Agency reported.
Egyptian security sources told Anadolu that the Israeli delegation consisted of five, including Israeli negotiator Yitzhak Molcho.
The sources said that the Israeli officials arrived in Cairo at midday and departed on board a private plane several hours later.
No information was released about the visit prior to it taking place.
Egyptian-Israeli relations have improving and strengthening, especially regarding security issues, since the ouster of the first freely elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and the start of President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi's rule.
4 aug 2015
Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Egyptian foreign minister
The Egyptian media yesterday misquoted US Secretary of State John Kerry as saying that the Muslim Brotherhood are a terrorist organisation.
In a press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Sunday, New York Times correspondent Michael Gordon asked Kerry: "Do you consider the Muslim Brotherhood to be a violent and terrorist group, and do you think membership in the Brotherhood should be a jailable offence?" Kerry's response was: "There is evidence of engagement in violence by certain people and certain leaders – obviously not everybody, not a whole group."
He then proceeded to emphasise tackling the Egyptian government's human rights abuses, he said that it has to be done "while simultaneously fighting a pernicious entity called Daesh and pushing back against individual acts of terror that steal the opportunity for the full transition that we all hope to take place to do so."
Not only did Kerry refuse to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation, but he also said the biggest threat to Egypt is the government's human rights abuses which encourage individual acts of terrorism and Daesh.
It is not surprising that the Egyptian media falsely reported Kerry's comments; it is notorious for equating Daesh with the Muslim Brotherhood, as per Egyptian state propaganda. Sameh Eid, a former Muslim Brotherhood member, has made that mistake himself saying the Brotherhood must be dealt with for their terrorist attacks in Yemen and Syria, confusing the movement for Daesh. He also claimed that Kerry's rhetoric is useless as he believes the Brotherhood deals with the United States to destabilise Al-Sisi covertly.
This was reiterated by another former Brotherhood member, Kamel Helbawy, who said the US was aware of the Brotherhood's so called terrorist activities and Kerry's remark is proof of this.
Dr Said Ellawindy, an expert in international relations for the Ahram Centre for Strategic Studies, also perpetuated the rumour and said that regardless of Kerry's comments, US-Muslim Brotherhood relations will not be affected. Former chairman of the board of leading Egyptian papers Al-Ahram newspaper and current chairman of Al-Masry Al-Youm Abdel Moneim Said however strayed from the conspiracy theories saying Kerry's comment marks an end in the tense chapter of American-Egyptian relations.
Even Egypt's former representative to the UN Jalal Al-Rashidi commented on the false remark by saying that both Kerry and the American government are aware of the so-called Muslim Brotherhood terror threat.
This rumour was engineered by the main online and print news outlets in Egypt. Not only does this show that the Egyptian press is untrustworthy and incompetent, but also that it is largely politicised and would be quick to spread rumours that fit state propaganda rather than fact checking and delivering accurate news.
The Egyptian media yesterday misquoted US Secretary of State John Kerry as saying that the Muslim Brotherhood are a terrorist organisation.
In a press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Sunday, New York Times correspondent Michael Gordon asked Kerry: "Do you consider the Muslim Brotherhood to be a violent and terrorist group, and do you think membership in the Brotherhood should be a jailable offence?" Kerry's response was: "There is evidence of engagement in violence by certain people and certain leaders – obviously not everybody, not a whole group."
He then proceeded to emphasise tackling the Egyptian government's human rights abuses, he said that it has to be done "while simultaneously fighting a pernicious entity called Daesh and pushing back against individual acts of terror that steal the opportunity for the full transition that we all hope to take place to do so."
Not only did Kerry refuse to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation, but he also said the biggest threat to Egypt is the government's human rights abuses which encourage individual acts of terrorism and Daesh.
It is not surprising that the Egyptian media falsely reported Kerry's comments; it is notorious for equating Daesh with the Muslim Brotherhood, as per Egyptian state propaganda. Sameh Eid, a former Muslim Brotherhood member, has made that mistake himself saying the Brotherhood must be dealt with for their terrorist attacks in Yemen and Syria, confusing the movement for Daesh. He also claimed that Kerry's rhetoric is useless as he believes the Brotherhood deals with the United States to destabilise Al-Sisi covertly.
This was reiterated by another former Brotherhood member, Kamel Helbawy, who said the US was aware of the Brotherhood's so called terrorist activities and Kerry's remark is proof of this.
Dr Said Ellawindy, an expert in international relations for the Ahram Centre for Strategic Studies, also perpetuated the rumour and said that regardless of Kerry's comments, US-Muslim Brotherhood relations will not be affected. Former chairman of the board of leading Egyptian papers Al-Ahram newspaper and current chairman of Al-Masry Al-Youm Abdel Moneim Said however strayed from the conspiracy theories saying Kerry's comment marks an end in the tense chapter of American-Egyptian relations.
Even Egypt's former representative to the UN Jalal Al-Rashidi commented on the false remark by saying that both Kerry and the American government are aware of the so-called Muslim Brotherhood terror threat.
This rumour was engineered by the main online and print news outlets in Egypt. Not only does this show that the Egyptian press is untrustworthy and incompetent, but also that it is largely politicised and would be quick to spread rumours that fit state propaganda rather than fact checking and delivering accurate news.
