Egypt Investigates Sinai ‘Abduction’, Army Denies

Egyptian authorities have opened an investigation into a family’s claims that their son was abducted by Israeli forces in the Sinai desert, security officials said Tuesday.

Egyptian authorities are investigating the abduction of a member of Hamas’ security services in the Sinai and are making inquiries with Israel to determine how it happened, according to an Egyptian security official.

A close friend of the Gaza man, who asked not to be identified, told Ma’an that Israel’s secret service had telephoned the family to notify them of the incident and instructed them to hire a lawyer.

After four days, the family still had not heard from the man, the friend said.

An Egyptian military source, meanwhile, said the security forces had received no information about Israel detaining a Palestinian in the Sinai. Egyptian intelligence in Sinai do not transfer prisoners to Israel, he said.

Earlier Tuesday, however, the Palestinian Authority liaison department confirmed that a Gaza resident had indeed been detained by Israeli forces, but declined to provide further details.

An arrest of a Palestinian in Egypt by Israeli agents would be the first known case of its kind.