An Egyptian police officer shot and killed two Israeli tourists and their guide in the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Sunday, multiple outlets reported.
The suspect was detained after the shooting, which took place at the tourist site known as Pompey’s Pillar, the Associated Press reported. The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the details of the incident, according to the Guardian.
“This morning during a visit of Israeli tourists in Alexandria, Egypt, a local opened fire at them, murdering two Israeli citizens and their Egyptian guide…In addition, there is a wounded Israeli in moderate condition,” the ministry said, per the outlet.
Egypt: police officer shoots dead two Israeli tourists and Egyptian guide https://t.co/hgh0djNeSF
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) October 8, 2023
ABC News reported that “anti-Israeli sentiment runs high” in Egypt, and that reactions to the killings have been mixed. (RELATED: ALAN DERSHOWITZ: The Only Way To Deter Terrorist Attacks On Israel Is To Punish Who’s Responsible — Iran)
On Saturday, Hamas fighters poured into southern Israel and slaughtered hundreds of civilians, prompting retaliatory air strikes and preparations for a ground invasion of Gaza.
European countries have taken additional steps to protect their Jewish communities amid the fighting in the Middle East, Politico reported. Yonathan Arfi, president of the Council of Jewish Institutions in France, told EuroNews that there is often “a correlation between a flare-up of violence in the Middle East and anti-Semitic acts in France.”