Two Israeli tourists and their Egyptian guide were fatally shot in the city of Alexandria on Sunday, as confirmed by the Israeli foreign ministry.
An Egyptian policeman suspected of carrying out the shooting in the Sawari district of Alexandria is currently in custody, according to two anonymous Egyptian security sources.
One Egyptian individual was wounded in the shooting, marking the first attack on Israelis in Egypt in many years. The Egyptian interior ministry has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.
The shooting occurred just one day after an attack on Israel by the Islamist group Hamas, prompting Israel to promise “mighty vengeance” in retaliation. This conflict has resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives among both Palestinians and Israelis.
As per one of the Egyptian sources, the policeman claimed that he lost control and fired indiscriminately at the tourist group due to provocation.
Egypt was the initial Arab country to establish normalised relations with Israel. However, even though the two nations collaborate extensively on security and energy matters, many Egyptians, like individuals throughout the Arab world, still express solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
In the wake of the outbreak of violence, the head of Egyptian intelligence maintained close communication with officials from both Israel and Hamas, as reported by three security sources on Saturday.
Back in June, an extended incident near the border between the two countries resulted in the deaths of three Israeli soldiers and one Egyptian security officer.
