Cities light up Egyptian flag to remember massacre victims

Masked gunmen attacked the bus carrying Christians on a visit to a monastery in the Egyptian city of Minya on Friday, killing at least 30 people including two children, in the latest attack on the religious minority.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack the following day.

Among the cities remembering the massacre was Tel Aviv, with the Israeli city's municipality building illuninated with the colours of the Egypt's red-white-black tricolour flag.

"Those seeking peace will not rest until such horrific acts will end," the mayor of Tel Aviv said in a tweet with a photo of the building.

Earlier in the week, Tel Aviv lit up the UK's Union Flag as a mark of respect for victims of Monday's Manchester bombing.

Satuday's display of the Egyptian flag is believd to be the first time the gesture has been made toward an Arab country.

Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, following decades of bloodshed. The peace deal was unpopular, as the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land continued with resentment continuing to this day.

On social media, many Arab and Egyptian users were outraged by the gesture, pointing out the contradiction with Israel's own practices against the Palestinian people.

Translation: I am not buying those whole thing with the Egyptian flag in Tel Aviv. Since when have you Zionists been so considerate? And why this time specifically?

Others considered the thawing relations between the two countries tantamount to treason.

Translation: Egypt's flag raised in Tel Aviv… The golden age of treason.

In Dubai, the Burj Khalifa tower also lit up with the colours of the Egyptian flag to show solidarity with the victims and their families.

"The icon spreads the message of peace and harmony to the world during this spiritual month of Ramadan," said the Burj Khalifa's official Instagram account.

Paris also turned off the lights of the Eiffel Tower on Saturday to pay tribute to the victims of the attack.

"All the staff of the Eiffel Tower operating company fully support this initiative of the City of Paris and their thoughts will go to the families of victims," an Eiffel Tower statement read.