The Egyptian government might extend the state of emergency, imposed since August 14, for two more months while gradually reducing the curfew hours, interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday.

Beblawi added in his interview with Al Masry Al Youm that the assassination attempt of the Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim brought about a qualitative change and raised discussions within the National Defence Council about extending the state of emergency for a month or two.

"The state of emergency can only last for a maximum of three months, extending it for longer than that requires a people's referendum," Beblawi explained.