RAMALLAH, April 10, 2017 (WAFA) – The bombings that targeted two Coptic churches in Egypt amid Palm Sunday celebrations hit the front page headlines in local Palestinian dailies.
The dailies said a total of 44 Egyptians were killed and scores of others were injured when two “terrorist” bombings targeted two Coptic churches in the Nile Delta cities of Alexandria and Tanta.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said the two “terrorist” bombings left a total of 126 injured Egyptians.
The dailies added Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared a three-month state of emergency in Egypt following the bombings.
They reported President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the terrorist bombings and extended his condolences to al-Sisi and Coptic Church Pope Tawadros II.
They also reported Israel imposed a military closure on the occupied Palestinian Territories (West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip) for Passover.
They said Israeli police detained at least 33 Palestinians during multiple raids across East Jerusalem, banning them entry into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
They added Israeli police imposed a crackdown in East Jerusalem leading up to the Jewish holiday, turning the city into a military barrack.
They spotlighted the Christian celebrations of the feast of Palm Sunday, marking the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida explained Israeli police prevented Palestinian Christians from raising the Palestinian flag during Palm Sunday in East Jerusalem.
They reported at least five were killed in armed clashes that continued to rage in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein al-Hilweh in Lebanon.
Al-Ayyam said Hamas security forces raided the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Department for Refugees Affairs in Gaza.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported member of Fatah Central Committee Azzam al-Ahmad warning Hamas was taking the besieged Gaza Strip as a hostage and urging Hamas to stop provoking crises.
Finally, al-Ayyam reported senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar stating the PLO has a “bogus legitimacy” and the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is the sole legitimate representative of the will of the Palestinian people.
K.F.
