The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the acting Israeli ambassador in Cairo to officially lodge a complaint and condemn the border incidents in northern Sinai during which several Egyptian army personnel died. The Ministry called Yitzhak Levanon, the Israeli ambassador, but spoke with the acting ambassador as Levanon is currently outside of Egypt, diplomatic sources said. The Council of Ministries released one statement initially, said Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel. He denied allegations that the Egyptian ambassador in Israel had been withdrawn. The second statement, alluding to the ambassador's withdrawal, is incorrect, Kamel added.