President Mohamed Mursi summoned Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim and Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday morning to discuss the kidnapping of seven security officers in Sinai, the state news agency reported.

Military sources told the agency that Egypt stepped up security on the Rafah border that is shared with Israel on Thursday, fearing that the kidnappers would attempt to smuggle the captured victims into Gaza through the tunnels.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, was told to inform the Egyptian authorities if it were to recieve any updates on the matter.

Militants kidnapped seven security officers on Thursday morning, including four army recruits and three state security officers.

The armed militants demanded from the authorities to release their prisoners who were arrested in events that took place in 2011.

Sources added that drivers of the vehicles that carried the captured men were questioned over the identity of the kidnappers.

The security officers were headed down for vacation when they were stopped and kidnapped by the unknown militants.