Egyptian security forces on Friday arrested 60 members of the Muslim Brotherhood group as the banned opposition movement prepared to protest across the country, according to a security source.
The source said the arrests took place in five of Egypt's governorates ahead of the planned public action in solidarity in the eastern district of Nasr City, in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The Muslim Brotherhood is Egypt's largest opposition group. It achieved a historic victory in the 2005 legislative elections, winning around 20 per cent of the seats in the People's Assembly, dpa reported.
Also on Friday, around 16,000 Muslim Brotherhood members gathered in three separate groups in Cairo in a peaceful protest against the Israeli aggression and blockade on the enclave.
People in each group gathered for around 20 to 30 minutes before leaving quietly.
Thousands of Egyptians have taken to the streets since the Israeli offensive on Gaza started on December 27.