Egyptian court bans Hamas’ armed wing, lists as terrorist organization

An Egyptian court on Saturday banned the armed wing of Palestinian group Hamas and listed it as a terrorist organization, a ruling in keeping with a systematic crackdown on Islamists by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Sisi said on Saturday Egypt faces a tough, prolonged campaign against militancy. Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, which the authorities have also declared a terrorist group and repressed thoroughly since the army ousted one of its leaders, Mohamed Mursi, from the presidency in 2013.

This battle will be difficult, strong, evil and will take a long time.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

The ruling came days after Egypt was hit with some of the bloodiest Islamist militant attacks on security forces in years. The case was based on allegations that the Qassam Brigades staged terrorist attacks to support the Brotherhood, and carried out a bombing and shooting operation which killed 33 security personnel in the Sinai Peninsula in October of 2014. A source close to Hamas’ armed wing signaled the group would no longer accept Egypt as a broker between it and Israel. “After the court’s decision Egypt is no longer a mediator in Palestinian-Israeli matters,” the source told Reuters.

Africa egypt hamas