Israel kills another top Hamas militant

In Washington, members of Congress criticized Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood-led government for doing too little to persuade the Gaza militants to stop firing missiles at Israel. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, threatened Egypt with a cutoff of the $2 billion in annual U.S. aid.

“Egypt, watch what you do and how you do it,” the South Carolina Republican said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“You’re teetering with the Congress on having your aid cut off if you keep inciting violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”

Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, on ABC’s “This Week” called Egypt’s response to the crisis “pretty weak.”

“I think that they’re going to have to take some very serious steps diplomatically to make it clear to Hamas that they’re going to lose support in the Arab world if they continue these rocket attacks on Israel,” the Michigan Democrat said.

Lawmakers also blamed Iran for arming Hamas and questioned Egypt’s role in that.

“My guess is there has to be some tacit involvement in Egypt and the border, or these things wouldn’t be getting into Gaza,” said Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.