Egypt bars Hamas leaders

CAIRO, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Egypt has barred some Hamas leaders, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, The Jerusalem Post reported Friday.

Khaled Mashaal, the Hamas leader living in Syria, has been declared persona non grata, the newspaper said, citing sources.

President Hosni Mubarak has also ordered an investigation into claims that Palestinians from Gaza have been buying land in Sinai. Foreigners are not allowed to own property in the area.

The breaching of the border between Egypt and Gaza has increased tensions between the government and Hamas. On Thursday, Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit said that Egypt permitted the influx of thousands of Palestinians for humanitarian reasons.

"Anyone who violates Egypt's borders will get his legs broken," he reportedly said.

The minister in his statement blamed Israel for causing the growing misery in Gaza. But he also attacked Hamas, calling its rocket attacks on Israel a "laughable caricature."