Suzanne Samīr, media spokesperson of the Coptic Catholic Church, said that Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II ordered the closure of all Orthodox churches in Sinai until further notice due to the state of lawlessness and the terrorist acts targeting Copts in the area. She added that both the Coptic Evangelical and Catholic churches took the same measure.

However, Samīr added that Copts are discontented of these decisions, believing it would give the extremists a sense of having control to displace Copts. For them, she continued, the demolition and burning of churches is better than churches closing its doors.

[Coptic Evangelical Pastor] Ikrām Lam’ī (Reviewer’s note: al-Misrīyūn mentioned that Lam’ī is the President of the Evangelical Theological Seminary, however, according to the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s website, the President of the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Egypt is Rev. Dr. Atef Gendy (‘Atif Jindī). Lam’ī is the President of the Evangelical Synod of the Nile, head of the Coptic Evangelical Church media committee, Professor of comparative religions, and writer at al-Shurūq al-Jadīd)  said that the Evangelical Church decided to close a conference house in Sinai until security and stability are restored. Noteworthy, Coptic Orthodox Father Mīnā ‘Abūd Shārūbīm, 39-years-old, was shot dead in al-’Arīsh, as well as Coptic merchant Majdī Lam’ī, 59-years-old, whose body was found beheaded in a cemetery (Sarah Hāmid, al-Misrīyūn, July 17, p. 3). The article has no link online.