Arab media has reported that a Hamas military commander who escaped from an Egyptian jail has arrived safely in the Gaza Strip. According to an Arab News report:
GAZA CITY: The Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, announced on Sunday that one of its prominent military wing members managed to escape from an Egyptian prison and arrived safely home in Gaza on Saturday evening. The group said in a statement sent to reporters that Ayman Noufel, who was in an Egyptian prison for three years, managed to escape and arrived in Gaza on Saturday. Noufel was arrested in Egypt three years ago. Hamas has been asking the Egyptian authorities to free him. During the period of his arrest, Hamas organized several rallies and protests calling for his immediate release. Noufel was received in Al-Bureij refugee camp by his family and senior Hamas leaders. Thousands of prisoners broke out of jails in Egypt amid security chaos as ongoing anti-government protests spread across the country. Noufel was one of eight Palestinians who managed to escape from Abu Za’abel Jail. Six members of the group have returned to Gaza. The destiny of the remaining two is still unclear. Their families said they have received unconfirmed information that the Egyptian forces detained them at a checkpoint near Al-Sheikh Zwaeid, a small town located 15 km from the Gaza border.
An earlier post discussed the escape of Hamas prisoners during the unrest.
The Hamas charter states that it is ” is one of the wings of the Muslim Brothers in Palestine” and an Israeli TV station has reported that in 2008, Muslim Brotherhood “representatives” traveled to Gaza from Egypt through the open border to meet with Hamas. An earlier media report indicated that shortly after Hamas took over the Gaza strip, Muslim Brotherhood representatives were present to review Hamas military formations. Last June, a Hamas journalist acknowledged the role that the “international Muslim Brotherhood” has played in providing funds for the purchase of weapons.