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.