( CNN ) -- Seven Egyptian soldiers who were kidnapped six days ago in the Sinai Peninsula have been freed , the spokesman for Egypt 's armed forces said Wednesday . The men are now en route to the capital , Cairo , Ahmed Mohammed Ali said on his official Facebook page . Their release is a result of `` the efforts made by the Egyptian military intelligence services with the cooperation of the tribal sheikhs and the noble people of Sinai , '' he said . After the news , Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah border crossing into Gaza in both directions , Egypt 's state-run news agency Egy News reported . The crossing was closed for five days by Egyptian security forces to protest the kidnapping of their fellow soldiers , the official Jordanian news agency Petra said . Hamas leader Ismail Haniya congratulated Egypt on the release of the soldiers , calling it a `` major achievement by the Egyptian military and a reassurance of the Egyptian sovereignty in Sinai , '' Egy News reported . Gaza has been controlled by Hamas , a militant Islamic group that does not recognize Israel , since 2006 . Some in the Egyptian armed forces reportedly suspect it of supporting radical Islamists in the Sinai Peninsula . Hamas on Sunday rejected allegations that it played a role in the kidnapping of the soldiers . `` The only beneficiary of the problematic developments at the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip is the Zionist occupation , '' said Hamas spokesman Salah Bardawil , according to the Hamas website . It 's not yet clear who kidnapped the seven soldiers or how their release was secured . Radical Islamist militant activity has been on the rise in the Sinai . The official Egypt State Information Service reported Tuesday that a military operation was planned to secure the soldiers ' release but it cited presidential spokesman Omar Amer as saying only that all options were open . Amer said Monday that Egypt would deal `` decisively '' with the kidnapping situation , the news agency reported . The government wanted to ensure the safe release of the soldiers and was determined that the same scenario should not occur again , Amer was quoted as saying . The Egyptian army sent dozens of armored vehicles and personnel carriers across the Suez Canal into North Sinai early Monday , the news agency said .
NEW : The Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza has reopened , Egyptian media say . The Israeli soldiers were kidnapped last week in the Sinai Peninsula . They are now free and heading back to the capital , Cairo , a military spokesman says . Military intelligence officers and Sinai residents work to secure their release , he says .