A group of Israeli women have stripped off in support of an Egyptian blogger who posed naked to highlight the lack of rights for women in the Arab country.

Aliaa Elmahdy, a 20-year-old student, posted a picture of herself wearing only stockings and red patent shoes. She received thousands of abusive messages, including death threats, following the post.

Around 40 Israelis posed holding a banner reading “Homage to Aliaa Elmahdy – Sisters in Israel” in English, Hebrew and Arabic.

Or Templar, who organised the picture and set up a Facebook group to encourage other women to support Ms Elmahdy, said she felt the urge to show “solidarity”.

She said it did not matter whether someone was “Jewish, Arab, straight or lesbian” and that women could support each other regardless of political and national differences.

Ms Elmahdy told CNN: “Sexism in Egypt is unreal, but I am not going anywhere and I will battle it until the end.”