The army spokesman said security forces had arrested 43 militants and criminals in operations in North Sinai and in cities near the Suez Canal. Hamas denounced Egypt’s closure of the Rafah border crossing as a “crime against humanity.” Authorities reportedly refused to renew the residency visa for Hamas’ Mousa Abu Marzouk. A new purported jihadist group calling itself the Brigades of Ansar al Sharia in the Land of Egypt claimed responsibility for a slew of recent shooting attacks in Egypt.
