Four Palestinians were kidnapped Wednesday evening by unknown assailants in restive North Sinai, the the Ministry of Interior of Gaza in stated.
“The Ministry is calling on the Egyptian authorities to secure the lives of the abducted people,” Ministry spokesperson Iyad al-Bazm said, adding that there are contacts with the Egyptian sides to know the reasons of this incident.
Eye-witnesses told al-Arabyia that armed assailants belonging to Wilayat Sinai (previously known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which then announced its loyalty to the Islamic State group in November 2014) intercepted a car with five Palestinians once it entered into the Egyptian side.
The car was coming from Palestinian Gaza heading to the Cairo International Airport for traveling abroad, Reuters reported.
Egyptian authorities opened Monday the Rafah border crossing with Gaza for four days in both directions to facilitate the transit of Palestinian passengers, the Palestinian embassy in Cairo has announced, adding that the opening came following a request from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
On Aug. 16, a dead body of young Palestinian man was found along the Egyptian border with Gaza, Palestinian news Agency Maan reported. He was missing and the reason of his death is unknown yet.The Islamic state affiliate has also claimed that it beheaded Croatian citizen Tomislav Salopek in North Sinai.
