According to a press release by the Egyptian Ministry of State of Antiquities (MSA), the Israeli Antiquities Authority has taken all required procedures to stop the sale of a collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in two auction halls in Jerusalem.  This news was sent to MSA minister Mohamed Ibrahim in an official letter from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.

The letter confirms that Israel's Foreign Ministry reportedly ordered the antiques authority to stop the sale of priceless items at Eweda auction hall.

On Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon the request of the MSA, asked the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take all required procedures in collaboration with the Egyptian embassy in Jerusalem to stop the sale of 126 ancient Egyptian artefacts. These objects were put on sale in two auction halls, Eweda and Bidoon, in Jerusalem.

Ali Ahmed, director-general of the Repatriation of Antiquities Department in the MSA, explains that the objects in question were traced through a routine web review of all international auction halls carried out by the department periodically. 

Eweda is currently exhibiting 110 artefacts while Bidoon is displaying 16 others. The stolen objects include a collection of ancient Egyptian clay vessels, vases, ushabti figurines and stelae.