(CNN) -- Israel has issued a rare statement of "regret" for the recent deaths of several Egyptian security personnel, hours after Egypt said it was recalling its ambassador. Egypt's government posted a statement Saturday saying its ambassador would be withdrawn until Israel conducted an investigation into what it called "indiscriminate shelling" that led to the deaths of at least three security forces in its Sinai region on Thursday. Later in the day, the statement was taken down without explanation. Top-level Israel security officials met Saturday with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who quickly issued a statement vowing that Israel would conduct a military investigation, followed by a joint examination with the Egyptian military, of the incident.
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NEW: Quartet warns Egypt to 'address the security situation' in Sinai
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Israel issues rare statement of 'regret' over Egyptian security forces' deaths
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Israeli defense minister:  Military investigation, and joint probe with Egypt, will take place
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Egypt posted a statement saying it would recall its ambassador; statement later removed
"Recent commitments by the Egyptian government to address the security situation in the Sinai are important, and the Quartet encourages the Egyptian government to find a lasting resolution to the issue of @placeholder security," it said.