The Israel Prison Service (IPS) convoy carrying the Egyptian prisoners crossed the Taba crossing point in the southern port city of Eilat at 5 p.m. local time (1500 GMT).

According to the swap deal reached by Egyptian and Israeli officials earlier this week, Grapel was initially to cross into Israel at 9 a.m. local time via the same crossing point.

However, in the end officials from both countries agreed to fly him directly from Cairo to Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International Airport at 5 p.m., possibly in order to avoid a press crush similar to that accompanied the Shalit-Hamas deal.

The Prime Minister's Office said this week that none of the 25 Egyptians were charged with security-related offenses. According to the IPS, most of them were convicted of drug and smuggling charges.

A few dozen relatives of other Egyptians still jailed in Israel protested near the Israeli-Egyptian border around Thursday noon, calling for their loved ones to be freed, according to a Xinhua reporter at the scene.

The bus carrying 25 Egyptian prisoners was escorted by the Nachshon unit of the IPS, which is tasked with dealing with high-risk security prisoners. Meanwhile, over 150 Israeli policemen, IPS security personnel, and army forces secured the area.

Israeli Army Southern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo earlier declared the area on the Israeli side of the border crossing a closed military zone, which included the nearby waters of the Red Sea until 6:30 p.m.

The Taba border crossing was closed for the first time in decades due to the prisoner exchange. Reporters were not allowed to approach the convoy, and no officials were available for comment.