The deputy leader of al-Qaida has called on all Muslims to support the Islamic militant group Hamas with money and weapons.

An audio statement, purportedly from Ayman al-Zawahiri, was posted on a Web site that has been used by al-Qaida in the past.

In the recording, Zawahiri warns against what he says is going to be an offensive by Egypt and Saudi Arabia against Hamas. That group recently seized control of the Gaza Strip from the moderate Palestinian faction, Fatah.

The release of this recording comes ahead of a meeting in Egypt of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.