GAZA — Hamas tried to ease tensions with Cairo on Wednesday, Sept. 11, by ordering Muslim preachers to mute their criticism of the new Egyptian government over what some of the clerics have called its war on Islam.

“Preachers should avoid speaking of the internal affairs of Egypt and focus on our Palestinian national issues and our struggle for the liberation of our land and the freedom of our prisoners (held by Israel),” said Ismail Rudwan, the Hamas-appointed religious affairs minister in Gaza.

He told Reuters he delivered that message in meetings he had held with scores of preachers in mosques in the southern Gaza Strip and planned to see more clerics in other parts of the Palestinian territory.

Events in neighboring Egypt have resonated strongly in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. Brotherhood figure Mohamed Morsi was overthrown as president by the military in July, following mass protests.

Efforts by the army-backed government in Egypt to crush the Brotherhood and its closure of cross-border smuggling tunnels used to move weapons and goods into the Gaza Strip have dealt a major blow to Hamas.

Gaza preachers, in fiery sermons, have accused Egypt’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, of waging war against Islam. Egyptian army officials have said Hamas is interfering in Egyptian affairs and suggested that Palestinians were helping Islamist militants in Sinai, which borders Gaza and Israel.

Hamas denies such allegations, and Rudwan said it regards Egypt as a “strategic supporter of the Palestinian cause.” The group, spurned by the West over its refusal to recognize Israel and renounce violence, won a Palestinian election in 2006 and seized control of Gaza in 2007 from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.