The ruling political party in Gaza, Hamas, issued a warning to the Egyptian media Tuesday to cease implicating its involvement in Egyptian affairs, claims that the movement says are false.
Hamas has been denouncing recent claims by different Egyptian media outlets alleging that three missile platforms set up by Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, were discovered in the Cairo neighborhood of Maadi, prompting the trial of former president Mohamed Morsi to be shifted to the Police Academy in New Cairo.
Official Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zahri said in a statement that Hamas denies assertions by Al-Youm Al-Sabaa news outlet claiming that three rocket launchers from the group’s Qassam Brigade were discovered near Maadi.
“The movement considers these claims lies aimed at implicating Hamas in Egypt’s internal affairs…these are attempts to tarnish the image of the Palestinian resistance, a movement which recorded significant success against the Israeli enemy,” said the statement. “The movement calls for the media to stop promoting these lies that not only serve the Israeli enemy.”
The movement has been rebutting claims by Egyptian media outlets recently after Hamas-Egypt relations became tense in recent weeks. Hamas has been accused of aiding the Muslim Brotherhood in attacks in Sinai while ousted president Mohamed Morsi is currently being charged of espionage in collusion with Hamas.
Deputy Head of the Hamas’s political bureau Ismail Haniyeh said in a speech on 20 October that they “will remain keen on avoiding anything that can lead to tension with our brothers in Egypt or with any other Arabic or Islamic country.”
“We tell our brothers in Egypt that Hamas is not your enemy,” he added.
Hamas is an acronym of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Arabic and is the body responsible for governing the Gaza Strip. Citizens of the Gaza Strip have lived under a land, air and sea blockade since 2007 when Hamas took power. Hamas have been designated by the US government as a terrorist organisation since 1997.
