18 sept 2015
The Egyptian authorities Thursday evening started to pump sea water into huge reservoirs along the borders with the blockaded Gaza Strip in an attempt to flood the Egypt-Gaza border and destroy tunnel activity.
Earlier sources in the Egyptian army said a water pipe with a 20-inch diameter was dug along Gaza borders, providing high-salinity water to swamp border flora and destroy tunnels
A few months ago Egyptian authorities created a buffer zone stretching some 14km along the entire Egypt-Gaza border.
The Egyptian military had begun pumping water from the Mediterranean Sea into the reservoirs with the aim to destroy cross-border tunnels that the blockaded Gaza Strip relies on to import desperately-needed commodities.
The aim of laying these enormous pipes is to inundate the flora and the tunnels with water from the Mediterranean.
Experts warned of the danger such an Egyptian project has on Gaza’s ecosystem along with its fauna and flora due to the high salinity of the pumped water.
Earlier sources in the Egyptian army said a water pipe with a 20-inch diameter was dug along Gaza borders, providing high-salinity water to swamp border flora and destroy tunnels
A few months ago Egyptian authorities created a buffer zone stretching some 14km along the entire Egypt-Gaza border.
The Egyptian military had begun pumping water from the Mediterranean Sea into the reservoirs with the aim to destroy cross-border tunnels that the blockaded Gaza Strip relies on to import desperately-needed commodities.
The aim of laying these enormous pipes is to inundate the flora and the tunnels with water from the Mediterranean.
Experts warned of the danger such an Egyptian project has on Gaza’s ecosystem along with its fauna and flora due to the high salinity of the pumped water.
15 sept 2015
Member of Hamas political bureau, Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk, arrived in Cairo on Sunday evening on an official visit for talks on several issues.
Quds Press revealed on Tuesday that Abu Marzouk will hold talks with Egyptian officials on issues including the four Palestinians abducted in Sinai one month ago. The visit also aims at following up on other issues of mutual concern.
Hamas denied any connection between Abu Marzouk’s visit to Egypt and the visit of Islamic Jihad secretary general, Ramadan Shallah, to the country one month ago. It was scheduled before Shallah’s visit, Hamas said.
It is the second visit by Abu Marzouk since the end of last summer’s Israeli aggression on Gaza. At the same time, it is the first visit paid by a Hamas leader to Cairo after the kidnapping of the four Palestinians in Sinai and after the escalation in the hostile media campaign against Hamas Movement in Egypt.
Quds Press revealed on Tuesday that Abu Marzouk will hold talks with Egyptian officials on issues including the four Palestinians abducted in Sinai one month ago. The visit also aims at following up on other issues of mutual concern.
Hamas denied any connection between Abu Marzouk’s visit to Egypt and the visit of Islamic Jihad secretary general, Ramadan Shallah, to the country one month ago. It was scheduled before Shallah’s visit, Hamas said.
It is the second visit by Abu Marzouk since the end of last summer’s Israeli aggression on Gaza. At the same time, it is the first visit paid by a Hamas leader to Cairo after the kidnapping of the four Palestinians in Sinai and after the escalation in the hostile media campaign against Hamas Movement in Egypt.
14 sept 2015
Families of the four Palestinians kidnapped by anonymous Egyptians 26 days ago urged on Sunday the Egyptian authorities to disclose the fate of their sons at the soonest time possible.
Jihad Zanoun, the brother of one of the captives, said during a rally staged near Rafah by the popular movement in support of Palestinian captives that the enforced abduction of his brother and the other captives is much more agonizing than death itself.
“26 days of agony and pain have elapsed. My captured brother, Yasser, is not just a number,” he said. “Yasser does certainly have a mother that bemoans his disappearance all day and night; just as his wife, children, and friends do.”
He urged the Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Egyptian president Abdul Fatah al-Sissi to seriously work on releasing the four Palestinian captives.
Family of Abdul Dayem Abu Labda said the abduction was carried out in very ambivalent circumstances, raising questions on how, when, by whom, and for whose interest the “crime” was committed.
The family voiced their anxiety and excruciating concern over the safety of their captured sons.
Secretary-General of the Ahrar Movement, Khaled Abu Hilal, said the four Palestinian youths were kidnapped on their way to recover from illnesses or to pursue their studies somewhere oversees.
He urged Egypt to release updates on the captives’ fate and unshackle them on humanitarian grounds.
“History proves that we, Gazans, have never meddled with Egypt’s security. We’ve always said that Egypt’s security is ours too; just as its safety, stability, and welfare is.”
He held the Egyptian authorities and PA primarily responsible for the abduction, saying: “Where on earth has the PA been?”
“Enough is enough. The PA should break its silence for silence amounts to complicity and conspiracy; it is never the by-product of a good will,” the activist stated.
Earlier, on August 19, anonymous gunmen kidnapped four Palestinians on their way from the blockaded Gaza Strip to the Cairo airport.
Jihad Zanoun, the brother of one of the captives, said during a rally staged near Rafah by the popular movement in support of Palestinian captives that the enforced abduction of his brother and the other captives is much more agonizing than death itself.
“26 days of agony and pain have elapsed. My captured brother, Yasser, is not just a number,” he said. “Yasser does certainly have a mother that bemoans his disappearance all day and night; just as his wife, children, and friends do.”
He urged the Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Egyptian president Abdul Fatah al-Sissi to seriously work on releasing the four Palestinian captives.
Family of Abdul Dayem Abu Labda said the abduction was carried out in very ambivalent circumstances, raising questions on how, when, by whom, and for whose interest the “crime” was committed.
The family voiced their anxiety and excruciating concern over the safety of their captured sons.
Secretary-General of the Ahrar Movement, Khaled Abu Hilal, said the four Palestinian youths were kidnapped on their way to recover from illnesses or to pursue their studies somewhere oversees.
He urged Egypt to release updates on the captives’ fate and unshackle them on humanitarian grounds.
“History proves that we, Gazans, have never meddled with Egypt’s security. We’ve always said that Egypt’s security is ours too; just as its safety, stability, and welfare is.”
He held the Egyptian authorities and PA primarily responsible for the abduction, saying: “Where on earth has the PA been?”
“Enough is enough. The PA should break its silence for silence amounts to complicity and conspiracy; it is never the by-product of a good will,” the activist stated.
Earlier, on August 19, anonymous gunmen kidnapped four Palestinians on their way from the blockaded Gaza Strip to the Cairo airport.
13 sept 2015
The abduction of the four Palestinians by anonymous Egyptians will have serious repercussions, senior Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad said afternoon Saturday.
Hamad said in a Facebook statement that Hamas strongly believes that neither organizations nor Egyptian gunmen are responsible for the abduction.
He said facts on the ground prove that what happened is due to a preplanned operation having political and security dimensions.
He said the abduction remains an ambivalent secret after 24 days have elapsed and questions on the fate of the captives have proliferated.
Earlier, on August 19, anonymous gunmen kidnapped four Palestinians on their way from Gaza Strip to the Cairo airport.
Hamad said in a Facebook statement that Hamas strongly believes that neither organizations nor Egyptian gunmen are responsible for the abduction.
He said facts on the ground prove that what happened is due to a preplanned operation having political and security dimensions.
He said the abduction remains an ambivalent secret after 24 days have elapsed and questions on the fate of the captives have proliferated.
Earlier, on August 19, anonymous gunmen kidnapped four Palestinians on their way from Gaza Strip to the Cairo airport.
11 sept 2015
Egyptian army may spread alligators in the moat it is constructing along the border with the Gaza Strip prevent tunnels from being built.
A right-wing US magazine said that the Egyptian army may spread alligators in the moat it is constructing along the border with the Gaza Strip.
Israeli website Arutz Sheva reported: “It's not known if Egypt plans to stock the moat with alligators or other similar natural deterrence methods.”
The moat was described as a “medieval-style moat” and it was suggested that it could be filled with alligators.
Arutz Sheva claimed that the Egyptian authorities removed all villages, residential communities and farms located about 3-5 kilometres of the Egypt-Gaza border to secure the area from tunnel smugglers or any threats that could come from Gaza.
“The moat, officials expect, will prevent tunnels from being built, as Gaza tunnel diggers will be unable to dig deep enough to go under the moat. The moat will be filled with seawater from the Mediterranean,” the website reported.
On its part, the American publication Front Page Magazine suggested that the Egyptian method could be applied by the US to protect the American border with Mexico, “where cartel tunnels have become a serious national security threat.”
The Egyptian army has recently laid giant water pipes along the border with the Gaza Strip, at a depth of 30 metres in order to flood the tunnels, keeping only a few kilometres for the Rafah border crossing.
A right-wing US magazine said that the Egyptian army may spread alligators in the moat it is constructing along the border with the Gaza Strip.
Israeli website Arutz Sheva reported: “It's not known if Egypt plans to stock the moat with alligators or other similar natural deterrence methods.”
The moat was described as a “medieval-style moat” and it was suggested that it could be filled with alligators.
Arutz Sheva claimed that the Egyptian authorities removed all villages, residential communities and farms located about 3-5 kilometres of the Egypt-Gaza border to secure the area from tunnel smugglers or any threats that could come from Gaza.
“The moat, officials expect, will prevent tunnels from being built, as Gaza tunnel diggers will be unable to dig deep enough to go under the moat. The moat will be filled with seawater from the Mediterranean,” the website reported.
On its part, the American publication Front Page Magazine suggested that the Egyptian method could be applied by the US to protect the American border with Mexico, “where cartel tunnels have become a serious national security threat.”
The Egyptian army has recently laid giant water pipes along the border with the Gaza Strip, at a depth of 30 metres in order to flood the tunnels, keeping only a few kilometres for the Rafah border crossing.
9 sept 2015
The Egyptian army units raised Tuesday and Wednesday red flags along Gaza-Egyptian borders in anticipation of carrying out military attacks in the area.
Local sources told a PIC reporter that the red flags were mainly positioned near Salahuddin Gate and Talla Ramlia.
The measure came one day after the Egyptian army’s spokesperson declared a comprehensive military operation against “terrorist militants”, under the title of "Martyr's Right", at dawn Monday in the towns of Rafah, Arish, and Sheikh Zuweid in the northern areas of the Sinai Peninsula.
Local residents expressed fear and deep concern over the measure especially that their homes were damaged during similar operations over the past period.
Local sources told a PIC reporter that the red flags were mainly positioned near Salahuddin Gate and Talla Ramlia.
The measure came one day after the Egyptian army’s spokesperson declared a comprehensive military operation against “terrorist militants”, under the title of "Martyr's Right", at dawn Monday in the towns of Rafah, Arish, and Sheikh Zuweid in the northern areas of the Sinai Peninsula.
Local residents expressed fear and deep concern over the measure especially that their homes were damaged during similar operations over the past period.
Hamas voiced deep concern over the safety of the four Palestinians kidnapped by Egyptian gunmen in the Sinai Peninsula by the end of August, urging Egypt to uncover their fate.
In a letter dispatched to Egypt’s intelligence minister, Khaled Fawzi, Hamas held the Egyptian authorities fully responsible for the lives of the four Palestinians, pushing for their urgent release on humanitarian and ethical grounds.
The four captives gained access to the Egyptian territories via legal documents granting them a three-day stopover on account that they were not wanted by any of the Egyptian security apparatuses.
“The four Palestinians were kidnapped by gunmen some 200 meters away from the Rafah border crossing, precisely between two deployment posts of the Egyptian army forces,” Hamas statement read.
The group added that the kidnappers knew in advance the identity of the hostages for they asked neither about their names nor their identities, according to testimonies from passengers onboard the bus.
The abducted youths were on their way out of Egypt, via the Cairo airport, to carry out medical check-ups and pursue their studies before they were nabbed by anonymous militias and dragged to an unknown destination.
Hamas has ceaselessly appealed to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Nabil al-Araby, Chairman of the Sub-Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, Mamadou Sue, and the Secretary-General of the Arab Organization for Human Rights, Alaa Shalabi to work on uncovering the captives’ current state of affairs.
Hamas updated such international parties on Egypt’s apathy and dragging of its feet as regards appeals to release the captives or at least disclose their fate.
In a letter dispatched to Egypt’s intelligence minister, Khaled Fawzi, Hamas held the Egyptian authorities fully responsible for the lives of the four Palestinians, pushing for their urgent release on humanitarian and ethical grounds.
The four captives gained access to the Egyptian territories via legal documents granting them a three-day stopover on account that they were not wanted by any of the Egyptian security apparatuses.
“The four Palestinians were kidnapped by gunmen some 200 meters away from the Rafah border crossing, precisely between two deployment posts of the Egyptian army forces,” Hamas statement read.
The group added that the kidnappers knew in advance the identity of the hostages for they asked neither about their names nor their identities, according to testimonies from passengers onboard the bus.
The abducted youths were on their way out of Egypt, via the Cairo airport, to carry out medical check-ups and pursue their studies before they were nabbed by anonymous militias and dragged to an unknown destination.
Hamas has ceaselessly appealed to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Nabil al-Araby, Chairman of the Sub-Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, Mamadou Sue, and the Secretary-General of the Arab Organization for Human Rights, Alaa Shalabi to work on uncovering the captives’ current state of affairs.
Hamas updated such international parties on Egypt’s apathy and dragging of its feet as regards appeals to release the captives or at least disclose their fate.
6 sept 2015
The Egyptian authorities are implanting a waterway project along Egypt’s borders with Gaza to “stop the smuggling tunnels”, a project that is seen by a number of the relevant government departments in Gaza to be a threat to water security.
The deputy head of the Water Authority in Gaza, Mazen al-Banna, addressed a press conference on Sunday also representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Authority, Authority of the Environment, and Ministry of Local Government. He stated, “The project is considered a violation of the rights of the two peoples (Egyptian and Palestinian).”
He demanded an instant halt of the project for the threats it imposes on many levels, including the water, economic, and national security of both Egypt and Palestine.
Al-Banna clarified that the implementation of this project disregards the environmental crises it would bring to Palestine, let alone Egypt. The threats include destroying the mutual groundwater reservoir in the region through the leakage of the salt water into the groundwater.
He stressed that the Egyptian project is an application of what the Israeli occupation tried to implement a decade ago. He recalled that the Israeli government back then planned to dig a waterway along the Egyptian-Palestinian borders to foil the Palestinian resistance’s efforts to smuggle weapons. Al-Banna noted that the Egyptian authorities have destroyed the vast majority of the tunnels.
The deputy head of the Water Authority called on the Egyptian people and government to take all measures to stop this project immediately.
He asked for an immediate UN intervention to put pressure on the Egyptian government to stop the catastrophic project that would endanger all environmental elements in the area.
Al-Banna urged the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to exert influence on Egypt to halt the project that would threaten the Arab and Islamic national security.
He also urged the international eco-friendly and human rights organizations to interfere.
The Egyptian military bulldozers have commenced digging huge fishponds, that are to be filled with seawater, along the Gaza-Egypt borders.
The deputy head of the Water Authority in Gaza, Mazen al-Banna, addressed a press conference on Sunday also representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Authority, Authority of the Environment, and Ministry of Local Government. He stated, “The project is considered a violation of the rights of the two peoples (Egyptian and Palestinian).”
He demanded an instant halt of the project for the threats it imposes on many levels, including the water, economic, and national security of both Egypt and Palestine.
Al-Banna clarified that the implementation of this project disregards the environmental crises it would bring to Palestine, let alone Egypt. The threats include destroying the mutual groundwater reservoir in the region through the leakage of the salt water into the groundwater.
He stressed that the Egyptian project is an application of what the Israeli occupation tried to implement a decade ago. He recalled that the Israeli government back then planned to dig a waterway along the Egyptian-Palestinian borders to foil the Palestinian resistance’s efforts to smuggle weapons. Al-Banna noted that the Egyptian authorities have destroyed the vast majority of the tunnels.
The deputy head of the Water Authority called on the Egyptian people and government to take all measures to stop this project immediately.
He asked for an immediate UN intervention to put pressure on the Egyptian government to stop the catastrophic project that would endanger all environmental elements in the area.
Al-Banna urged the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to exert influence on Egypt to halt the project that would threaten the Arab and Islamic national security.
He also urged the international eco-friendly and human rights organizations to interfere.
The Egyptian military bulldozers have commenced digging huge fishponds, that are to be filled with seawater, along the Gaza-Egypt borders.
5 sept 2015
Large numbers of Palestinians took to the streets of Gaza in the afternoon on Friday in a massive march to protest against kidnapping four Palestinians in the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula over two weeks ago.
The march, which was called for by the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, was launched from all mosques in Gaza city after Friday prayers and headed to the Egyptian Embassy's closed headquarters.
The massive march was led by Hamas leaders and families of the abducted Palestinians in addition to a number of Palestinian MPs along with national figures who all called on the Egyptian authorities to release the kidnapped youths.
Anonymous armed men attacked, at a late hour on Wednesday, August 19, a Palestinian vehicle carrying passengers travelling from Rafah border crossing to Cairo airport, just after a short distance from Rafah crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
The march, which was called for by the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, was launched from all mosques in Gaza city after Friday prayers and headed to the Egyptian Embassy's closed headquarters.
The massive march was led by Hamas leaders and families of the abducted Palestinians in addition to a number of Palestinian MPs along with national figures who all called on the Egyptian authorities to release the kidnapped youths.
Anonymous armed men attacked, at a late hour on Wednesday, August 19, a Palestinian vehicle carrying passengers travelling from Rafah border crossing to Cairo airport, just after a short distance from Rafah crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
4 sept 2015
Two Palestinian children from Rafah, in southern Gaza, were injured Monday night by random gunfire on civilian houses by the Egyptian army.
Media sources said, according to the PNN, that Adam Abu-Susein (13) suffered moderate injuries, and Mohammad Abu susein (14) sustained critical injuries.
The two children were moved to the Abu-Yousuf Al-Najjar hospital, in Rafah city.
Media sources said, according to the PNN, that Adam Abu-Susein (13) suffered moderate injuries, and Mohammad Abu susein (14) sustained critical injuries.
The two children were moved to the Abu-Yousuf Al-Najjar hospital, in Rafah city.
31 aug 2015
A popular conference was held in Gaza Sunday under the title “bring back our youths”, calling for revealing the whereabouts of four Palestinian youths abducted early this month in Sinai after crossing Rafah border.
The conference was attended by the representative of the National and Islamic Forces Khaled al-Batesh, the MP Mushir al-Masri, and Chairman of the Independent Commission of Gaza Jamil Sarhan, in addition to the abducted youths’ families.
During the conference, al-Batesh stressed the seriousness of the incident that “could not go unnoticed especially that the youths legally crossed into the Egyptian territories”.
He strongly condemned “the crime”, and called on the Egyptian authorities to make all possible efforts for their release and safe return.
He stressed, in the meantime, the importance of maintaining good relations with Egypt.
For his part, the human rights activist Jamil Sarhan considered the kidnapping process as a criminal status of enforced disappearance that violates the international laws and conventions.
He held the Egyptian authorities responsible for the protection of Palestinian buses after crossing into the Egyptian territories.
In his turn, the MP Mushri al-Masri stressed the need of uniting all national efforts to stand with the abducted youths and their families.
The incident only serves the Israeli enemy, he said. “The kidnapped youths’ issue will always be on our top priorities till bringing them back to their families.”
He also called on Egypt to reveal their whereabouts, pointing out that the Palestinian Authority didn’t yet act for the abducted youths.
The abducted youths’ families called during the conference on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and human rights institutions to immediately intervene for their sons’ release after 12 days of their abduction in Sinai.
Earlier this month, armed men stopped a bus that was transferring passengers from Rafah crossing to Cairo Airport, just a short distance after the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
The conference was attended by the representative of the National and Islamic Forces Khaled al-Batesh, the MP Mushir al-Masri, and Chairman of the Independent Commission of Gaza Jamil Sarhan, in addition to the abducted youths’ families.
During the conference, al-Batesh stressed the seriousness of the incident that “could not go unnoticed especially that the youths legally crossed into the Egyptian territories”.
He strongly condemned “the crime”, and called on the Egyptian authorities to make all possible efforts for their release and safe return.
He stressed, in the meantime, the importance of maintaining good relations with Egypt.
For his part, the human rights activist Jamil Sarhan considered the kidnapping process as a criminal status of enforced disappearance that violates the international laws and conventions.
He held the Egyptian authorities responsible for the protection of Palestinian buses after crossing into the Egyptian territories.
In his turn, the MP Mushri al-Masri stressed the need of uniting all national efforts to stand with the abducted youths and their families.
The incident only serves the Israeli enemy, he said. “The kidnapped youths’ issue will always be on our top priorities till bringing them back to their families.”
He also called on Egypt to reveal their whereabouts, pointing out that the Palestinian Authority didn’t yet act for the abducted youths.
The abducted youths’ families called during the conference on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and human rights institutions to immediately intervene for their sons’ release after 12 days of their abduction in Sinai.
Earlier this month, armed men stopped a bus that was transferring passengers from Rafah crossing to Cairo Airport, just a short distance after the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
30 aug 2015
On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, which marks August 30, the four Palestinian young men have been kidnapped for 11 days reportedly by the Egyptian authorities.
On August 19, anonymous gunmen intercepted a deportation bus in Sinai en route from Rafah border crossing to Cairo airport, they opened fire at the bus and took four passengers to an unknown destination, according to sources in Hamas Movement.
The Egyptian authorities, which are in charge of the Palestinian passengers deported to Cairo Airport, haven't commented on the incident in spite of Hamas's attempts to know the circumstances of the incident and the passengers' whereabouts.
Hamas said that it will not let this incident pass unnoticed, and stressed that the Egyptian authorities are fully responsible for the lives of the Sinai captives.
United Nations expert groups on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances called for establishing rules and protocols that guarantee the immediate search for disappeared persons across the world.
The expert groups said: "Over the last year, the committee has been working on 246 recent cases of enforced disappearances perpetrated all over the world".
In conjunction with the kidnap incident, Palestinians have launched hashtag #release_the_abductees calling for revealing the fate of the four kidnapped Palestinians.
On August 19, anonymous gunmen intercepted a deportation bus in Sinai en route from Rafah border crossing to Cairo airport, they opened fire at the bus and took four passengers to an unknown destination, according to sources in Hamas Movement.
The Egyptian authorities, which are in charge of the Palestinian passengers deported to Cairo Airport, haven't commented on the incident in spite of Hamas's attempts to know the circumstances of the incident and the passengers' whereabouts.
Hamas said that it will not let this incident pass unnoticed, and stressed that the Egyptian authorities are fully responsible for the lives of the Sinai captives.
United Nations expert groups on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances called for establishing rules and protocols that guarantee the immediate search for disappeared persons across the world.
The expert groups said: "Over the last year, the committee has been working on 246 recent cases of enforced disappearances perpetrated all over the world".
In conjunction with the kidnap incident, Palestinians have launched hashtag #release_the_abductees calling for revealing the fate of the four kidnapped Palestinians.
28 aug 2015
Families of the four kidnapped students, who were abducted in Sinai while on their way to Cairo, staged a sit-in outside the Egyptian Embassy in Gaza Strip, calling for revealing their whereabouts.
The abducted youths’ families launched an appeal for their release, calling on Egyptian authorities to make all possible efforts for their safe return.
The participants held photos of the four kidnapped young men along with banners stressing their right to freedom of movement.
The families also called on Egypt to reveal their sons’ whereabouts especially that they were abducted in Egyptian territory.
Egypt is responsible for their protection and safe return, the families said.
The families also called on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and human rights 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 after the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
The abducted youths’ families launched an appeal for their release, calling on Egyptian authorities to make all possible efforts for their safe return.
The participants held photos of the four kidnapped young men along with banners stressing their right to freedom of movement.
The families also called on Egypt to reveal their sons’ whereabouts especially that they were abducted in Egyptian territory.
Egypt is responsible for their protection and safe return, the families said.
The families also called on PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and human rights 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 after the border crossing, and abducted four Palestinians.
Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, renewed its position of holding Egypt responsible for the safety of the four Palestinians abducted in Sinai a few days ago. It demanded immediate release of the kidnaped four.
The Hamas leader Salah al-Bardawil told Quds Press that the media attack which has been practiced by the Egyptian authorities is very far from reality and does not reduce the responsibility of Egypt for the Palestinian abducted men.
He held Egypt is to blame for the abduction of the four Palestinians since the kidnapping operation was carried out in Egypt, before the Egyptian security and in the security square of Rafah border crossing.
The Hamas leader opined that the abduction operation does not serve anybody but Israel, saying “it is a stab to Gaza at the time when relations between Gaza and Egypt are getting improved”.
Regarding relations between both sides, Bardawil said “the Egyptian side has been taking unilateral steps in this regard. He said” we do not have any expectations in terms of the Egyptian threats of military intervention in Gaza made by some Egyptian media men”.
“Hamas is a liberation movement aims at resisting the Israeli occupation and has no hostility against any Arab country”, Bardawil said.
Unidentified armed men stopped, on Wednesday evening, a bus carrying on Palestinian passengers and kidnapped four of them. The passengers were coming from Rafah border crossing and heading to Cairo Airport.
The Hamas leader Salah al-Bardawil told Quds Press that the media attack which has been practiced by the Egyptian authorities is very far from reality and does not reduce the responsibility of Egypt for the Palestinian abducted men.
He held Egypt is to blame for the abduction of the four Palestinians since the kidnapping operation was carried out in Egypt, before the Egyptian security and in the security square of Rafah border crossing.
The Hamas leader opined that the abduction operation does not serve anybody but Israel, saying “it is a stab to Gaza at the time when relations between Gaza and Egypt are getting improved”.
Regarding relations between both sides, Bardawil said “the Egyptian side has been taking unilateral steps in this regard. He said” we do not have any expectations in terms of the Egyptian threats of military intervention in Gaza made by some Egyptian media men”.
“Hamas is a liberation movement aims at resisting the Israeli occupation and has no hostility against any Arab country”, Bardawil said.
Unidentified armed men stopped, on Wednesday evening, a bus carrying on Palestinian passengers and kidnapped four of them. The passengers were coming from Rafah border crossing and heading to Cairo Airport.
