CAIRO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Islamic State's Egyptian branch claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed four people in a hotel in North Sinai capital al-Arish on Tuesday where judges overseeing a parliamentary election were staying.

The statement by the Sinai Province group was circulated by its supporters on Twitter and the encrypted messaging system Telegram.

"A brother ... seeking martyrdom hit with his car bomb the security force protecting the Swiss (Inn) hotel were 50 judges were staying only to be followed by a lion ... who broke into the judges' base with his automatic weapon ... then blew up his explosive belt among them," read the statement.

(Reporting by Mostafa Hashem; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Lin Noueihed and Andrew Heavens) ((ahmed.aboulenein@thomsonreuters.com; +20 2 2394 8097; Reuters Messaging: ahmed.aboulenein.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))