A previously unknown terrorist organization claimed to have murdered a Jewish businessman with Israeli, Ukrainian, and Canadian citizenship in Egypt on Tuesday in revenge for Israeli military action in Gaza and because of claims he was a Mossad agent.
The Egyptian Interior Ministry claimed that the incident was criminal on Wednesday, according to Israeli media but the Vanguard of Liberation Group for Martyr Mohamed Salah, named for the Egyptian police officer who killed three IDF soldiers on the border in mid-2023, posted a statement and a picture allegedly of the Alexandrian businessman’s assassination on a newly created Telegram channel. The graphic showed the red triangle used in Hamas propaganda to denote a terrorist target above a body, allegedly that of the businessman.
“Wait for the next,” said the alleged organization. “Shalom from the children of Gaza.”
Group allegedly killed businessman over Israel's actions in Gaza
The supposed organization said that it had targeted the businessman over Israeli operations in the Palestinian-Egyptian border town and Hamas stronghold of Rafah. The Vanguard claimed that the businessman, who was the CEO of an Egyptian frozen fruits and vegetables export business, had used his commercial activities as a cover for Israeli intelligence operations.
The group said that the alleged act of terrorism was a continuation of the historical Egyptian fight against Israel, and decried the current Egyptian leadership as puppets.
Al-Arabiya claimed that the victim was a Ukrainian businessman who had been working in Egypt for more than nine years. The company, according to the victim’s LinkedIn profile, has offices in Ukraine and Israel. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that it was reviewing reports of the murder. Global Affairs Canada said that it was “aware of the reports of the death of a Canadian Citizen in Egypt.” The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Two Israeli tourists and their Egyptian guide were murdered in Alexandria the day after the October 7 Massacre. A Policeman allegedly had conducted the attack, and according to Reuters, he claimed he had lost control after being provoked.