Egyptian military officials have said that they are coordinating with Israel over security operations in the Sinai Peninsula aimed at driving out Islamist militants in the area. So far thirty three alleged criminals have been reported killed.
The operation was launched after extremists killed 16 border guards on the frontier between Gaza and Israel.
The cooperation is reported to be allaying fears that the recent Egyptian military buildup on the Peninsula does not violate the terms of the the 1979 peace treaty with Israel which brought an end to three decades of conflict between the two countries.
Israeli has voiced concerns that Islamist fighters may have gained a foothold in the Sinai Peninsula since the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak last year during the Arab Spring unprisings.
New Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi has promised to restore order to the area.