27 October 2011 Last updated at 12:45 ET

Egypt frees alleged Israeli spy Grapel in swap deal

Twenty-five Egyptians freed by Israel in a swap have crossed into their home country, in exchange for the release of Israeli-American Ilan Grapel.

Mr Grapel has arrived in Tel Aviv after boarding a flight from Cairo, accompanied by Israeli officials.

The 27-year-old has been held by Egypt since June after being accused of spying for Israel.

Israel and his family deny the claims against Mr Grapel, saying he was working for a charity in Cairo.

'Fine and smiling'

Egyptian state television showed some of the Egyptians bowing down in prayer as they arrived on home soil, after passing through the Taba border crossing.

Three minors were the first to cross, according to the Associated Press news agency.

Interviewed by Egyptian television, two of them said they had been arrested after illegally crossing into Israel to sell contraband cigarettes. They said they were not ill-treated while detained in Israel.

Another of those freed, Rabia Suleiman, had been serving a four-year jail term on drugs charges.

Asked what he would do on his return, he said: "I'll come here and find any job, and I won't go back."

Meanwhile, Mr Grapel was handed over to Israeli officials in Cairo, who accompanied him on a flight heading to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport.

Israel Hasson, an Israeli lawmaker who has been involved in the negotiations, told AP that Mr Grapel was "fine" and "smiling".

On his arrival, he will meet his family and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There is widespread scepticism in Egypt that Mr Grapel really was an Israeli spy, correspondents say.

He was arrested on 12 June and accused of trying to stir up sectarian strife in Cairo on behalf of the Israeli spy agency Mossad.

His relatives say he made no attempt to disguise his identity, including the fact that he had served in the Israeli army during its war in Lebanon in 2006.

Israel's security cabinet approved the exchange on Tuesday.

Israel has stressed that none of the Egyptians were involved in security-related crimes.

On Wednesday the Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a victims' rights group against the swap, saying it was a political decision outside the court's jurisdiction.

A similar appeal against the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit was also rejected.

Last week Israel released the first batch of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli soldier.

He had been held by the militant group, Hamas, which controls Gaza, since 2006.

It appears the deal to release Mr Grapel was negotiated around the same time as the Shalit exchange, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem.

It shows that Egypt is still capable of dealing with Israel on business-like terms and reminds regional rivals such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia that Cairo's influence is real, despite the change of government, our correspondent says.