Hamas-affiliated Qassam Brigades declared a terrorist group

A Cairo court declared the Qassam Brigades — the military wing of Palestinian Hamas — a terrorist organization on Saturday, the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper reported.

The decision also stated that all members of the group found in Egypt would be considered terrorists.

The Abdeen Court of Urgent Matters accused the group of executing terrorist attacks in Egypt and using tunnels between Gaza and Egypt to smuggle arms and finances, with the aim of terrorizing people and targeting military and police forces.

The decision follows a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on several security posts in Arish and Rafah on Thursday night, leaving at least 31 dead, including two civilians, according to health officials.

Ansar Beit al-Maqdes, a militant group based in Sinai that recently pledged allegiance to the self-proclaimed Islamic state, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Hamas responded in a statement that decried the court's ruling as a “politically motivated, dangerous decision that only serves the Israeli occupation.” The statement rejected the implication of Hamas in Egyptian internal affairs.

The court accused the Qassam Brigades of neglecting its mission to fight Israel and dedicating efforts instead towards the demise of the Egyptian state, in collaboration with the Muslim Brotherhood, privately owned Youm7 reported.

Successive Egyptian governments have accused Hamas of conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood, but there is no concrete evidence to support such claims.

Former President Mohamed Morsi is facing trial for conspiring with Hamas to sabotage Egypt. In a statement issued at the time, Hamas considered the charge a sign that Egypt had abandoned its role in supporting the Palestinian cause.

The Muslim Brotherhood was declared a terrorist organization in February 2014. Ansar Beit al-Maqdes was also listed as a terrorist organization in April last year.