Egyptian lawyer Samir Sabri, filed the case earlier this year, seeking to label Hamas a terrorist group following claims that the movement carried out terrorist attacks in the country using tunnels connecting the Sinai Peninsula to Gaza.
In August 2012, an attack blamed on Hamas at a military post in northern Sinai killed 16 Egyptian soldiers. Two armored cars were also stolen and used to enter Israel. Among 32 so-called terrorists named by Sabri, three were claimed to be affiliated with Hamas.
Hamas however denied any involvement in the attacks saying the accusations were intended to damage relations between the movement and Egypt, and to defame Gaza, which Hamas de facto administers.
In March this year, Egypt declared the activities of Hamas unlawful and temporarily shut down the movement's offices in the country, citing the 2011 jailbreak which freed the ousted president, Mohammed Morsi, which it was claimed was aided by the Palestinian movement.
