An Egyptian minister denied on Sunday earlier reports that his country has signed an agreement with Israel to ban arms smuggling into the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip, the state MENA news agency reported.

"Egypt did not sign any security agreement with Israel in this regard," Minister of State for Legal and Parliamentary Councils Affairs Mofeed Shehab was quoted as saying.

Shehab made the remarks while answering interpellations by some members of the People's Assembly (lower house of the Egyptian parliament).

"Egypt will never do such a step without first referring the agreement to the parliament," Shehab told the lawmakers.

On Jan. 16, the United States and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding to stop weapon smuggling to Gaza so as to boost efforts for a durable ceasefire in the war-torn region.

Egypt has nothing to do with the deal signed between Israel and the United States, Shehab said, stressing that the US-Israeli agreement is not binding to Egypt that is not a party of the signatories.

One day after Israel signed the deal with the United States, Israel announced to carry out a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza following a 22-day attack that killed some 1,400 Palestinians and wounded 5,500 others.