Alexandria, Egypt – A terrorist group previously unknown claimed responsibility for the murder of a Jewish businessman with Israeli, Ukrainian, and Canadian citizenship in Egypt. The group cited retaliation for Israeli military actions in Gaza and suspicions of the victim being a Mossad agent as motives for the attack.
Despite the Egyptian Interior Ministry initially declaring the incident as criminal, the Vanguard of Liberation Group for Martyr Mohamed Salah released a statement and an image of the businessman’s assassination on a new Telegram channel. The graphic displayed a red triangle, commonly associated with Hamas propaganda for marking terrorist targets, above a body believed to be that of the businessman.
The organization ominously warned of further actions, sending “Shalom from the children of Gaza” in a chilling message. The group accused the victim, a CEO of an Egyptian frozen fruits and vegetables export business, of using his commercial activities as a cover for Israeli intelligence operations in the Palestinian-Egyptian border town and Hamas stronghold of Rafah.
Alleging that the act of terrorism was a symbolic continuation of Egypt’s historical resistance against Israel, the group criticized the current Egyptian leadership as being subservient to external influences. Reports from Al-Arabiya identified the victim as a Ukrainian businessman with businesses in Ukraine, Israel, and Egypt for over nine years.
Upon hearing the news, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated it was investigating the reports of the murder while Global Affairs Canada acknowledged the death of a Canadian citizen in Egypt. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry did not immediately address requests for comments on the matter.
In a separate but related incident, two Israeli tourists and their Egyptian guide were tragically killed in Alexandria, allegedly at the hands of a policeman. According to Reuters, the attacker claimed to have lost control after being provoked, highlighting the increasing tensions and violence in the region.