Police in Egypt are investigating a deadly shooting that took place in the city of Alexandria on Sunday. According to Egyptian authorities, a policeman opened fire on a group of Israeli tourists, killing two Israelis and one Egyptian.
The shooting took place at Pompey’s Pillar site, a popular tourist attraction in the Mediterranean city. The motive for the attack is still unknown, and authorities have not released the name of the suspected gunman. It is also unclear if the gunman was acting alone or if others were involved in the attack.
The Egyptian Interior Ministry issued a statement confirming the incident and said that another person was injured in the shooting. The injured person was identified as an Israeli tourist who is currently in stable condition. The ministry provided no further details about the shooting.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that two of its citizens were killed in the attack. The two victims have not been publicly identified. In a statement, the ministry said that it was working closely with Egyptian authorities to bring the bodies home. The ministry also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
The identity of the injured person has not been released, but reports from local media outlets say that they were a tour guide. It is not clear if the tour guide was working with the Israeli tourists at the time of the shooting.
In response to the attack, security forces quickly cordoned off the site, and the suspected gunman was detained. Graphic footage from the scene showed two people lying motionless on the ground and another being assisted by a group of men.
The attack has sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some have praised the attack in Alexandria, while others have condemned the killing of civilians.
Renowned Egyptian writer and TV host Ibrahim Issa condemned the attack, calling it a “terrorist crime.” He also stated that there is no justification for intentionally targeting civilians and that any attempt to do so is a crime against humanity.
Amr Magdi, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, also condemned the attack, saying that there is no justification for targeting civilians in Egypt, Gaza, or anywhere else.
The U.S. embassy in Cairo is advising Americans in Egypt to take precautions as the attack could be related to the recent clashes between Israel and Palestinian militants.
Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel in the 1970s, but anti-Israeli sentiment is still prevalent in the country, especially during times of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The shooting in Alexandria is a tragic reminder of the ongoing tensions in the region.
