Protesters have broken into the building housing Israel’s embassy in Egypt’s capital, Cairo, according t reports from reports from various media outlets in the hour.
There have been protests outside the embassy since the deaths on 18 August of five Egyptian policemen, allegedly at the hands of Israeli forces.
Egyptian officials say the five were killed as Israeli forces chased suspected militants across the border.
Gunmen had earlier that day attacked Israeli civilian buses near the Red Sea resort of Eilat, killing eight people.
Hundreds of Egyptians protested outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo the following night, burning the Israeli flag and demanding the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.
On Friday, protesters destroyed a wall around the embassy building before a group of about 30 broke in and threw documents out of windows.
Reuters news agency quoted an Israeli official in Jerusalem as saying that the documents appeared to be "pamphlets and forms kept at the foyer". Egypt’s state media said some of the documents were marked confidential.
An Israeli media, Ynetnews reported that:
US President Barack Obama says the Administration is taking all necessary steps in order to calm the situation at Israel’s Embassy in Cairo.
In a statement issued by the White House, the president expressed his deep concern over the situation in Cairo and the safety of Israel’s diplomatic staff there. Obama urged the Egyptian government to honor its international obligations and ensure the safety of Israel’s diplomats.
An update from Reuters stated that:
The Israeli ambassador to Egypt, his family and embassy staff have arrived at Cairo airport apparently to fly out of the country, airport sources said on Saturday, after Egyptian protesters tried to storm the Israeli mission.
They said the ambassador, along with his staff and family, traveled to the airport under heavy security, and that they were at the VIP section awaiting a flight out. Dozens of Israelis in Egypt were also arriving to the airport to leave the country, they said.
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