Gaza/Cairo  - Hamas' Gaza Strip spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri charged Tuesday that Egypt had tortured his brother to death.

Yousef Abu Zuhri died Monday while in Egyptian custody.

In a statement sent to the media, Sami Abu Zuhri said that his 38- year-old brother "died in one of the Egyptian hospitals dues to severe and barbarian torture practiced by Egyptian security officers."

"Due to heavy torture, my brother suffered severe bleeding, but security officers refused to take him to hospital. When his conditions deteriorated, on Saturday, he was taken briefly to a private hospital for first aid and then was brought back to prison," Abu Zuhri said.

He said Yousef kept suffering "until he died in prison on Monday night without any announcement by the Egyptian authorities."

He added that he demanded an honest investigation into the circumstances of his brother's death.

Fawzi Barhoum, another Hamas spokesman, said in a statement sent to the media that Hamas has asked Egypt to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death of Yosef Abu Zhuri.

Abu Zuhri was arrested by Egyptian security forces in the city of al-Arish about six months ago. He had entered Egyptian territory through a tunnel dug under the Gaza-Sinai border.

The Egyptian Ministry of the Interior confirmed the death, but had no further comment.(dpa)