The Israelis were evacuated and transferred to Magen David Adom ambulances waiting at the Taba border crossing, but they did not suffer physical injuries.

Many of the dead were tourists, according to a senior Egyptian rescue official, including one boy from Germany.

Three separate explosions rocked the Egyptian resort town, scattering debris and body parts in an area filled with restaurants and bars. The bombs were set off by terrorists using remote control devices, at the Mashrabiyeh Hotel, on a bridge and in a restaurant.

Foreign Ministry sources estimated that more than 1,700 Israelis were in the area at the time, with another 4,000 in other parts of Egypt. Israelis traveling in Egypt were urged to return to Israel immediately, and security forces in Eilat were put on the highest alert level following the attacks.

In other terrorist-attack news, Danny (Daniel ben Sarah) Wultz, 16, of southern Florida, who was critically wounded in the Arab suicide attack in Tel Aviv last week, has now undergone three operations. The latest one was to remove his leg from the knee down. He had already lost a kidney and his spleen. Danny and his father, whose leg was broken in the attack, were visiting Tel Aviv during a holiday visit to Israel.

Following the attack in Sinai, Israel immediately offered its assistance to the Egyptian government. Magen David Adom ambulances waited at the Taba border crossing, ready to help in the rescue effort. The Egyptians rejected the offer, however, saying they had the situation under control.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak slammed the attack as an “act of terrorists” and promised that the perpetrators would be severely punished.

Dr. Alexander Bligh, an expert on terrorism at the College of Judea & Samaria, told Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine today that he is doubtful that the attacks were carried out by Al-Qaeda, as has been widely assumed. He assumes they were likely perpetrated by extremist groups attempting to position themselves for the post-Mubarak era. Bligh said that Mubarak, 78, "is concerned that he is likely to leave behind him a country torn by war between various sectors of Egyptian society."

The manager of the Taba terminal crossing, Itzik Chai, said that at least 25,000 Israelis entered Egypt last week, despite government advisories warning Israelis against going to Egypt due to specific terror alerts.

Senior Interior Ministry official Sasi Katzir told workers at the terminal to allow Israelis to cross back into Israel even without a passport. Police and Border Guard forces blocked entry into Egypt from the Israeli side, while their Egyptian counterparts sealed off the border from the other side in order to prevent the escape of the terrorists who carried out the attack.

Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Mubarak to express his condolences, while Foreign Minister Tzippy Livni called her Egyptian counterpart. Olmert said Israel and Egypt must join forces to fight global terror.

Israeli defense officials said the attackers may be Islamic extremists aided by World Jihad, a group affiliated with international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.

There have been a number of deadly bombings in the Sinai Peninsula in the past 18 months. Two appeared to have been planned and carried out by Al-Qaeda terrorists, at resorts Sharm el-Sheikh in July 2005 and at Ras Shitan in October 2004. Officials said Monday’s attack resembled the style of the previous bombings.

Dahab is a popular resort for Israelis as well as Egyptians and other foreign nationals. It is located on the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula on the Gulf of Aqaba.