El-Arish - Egyptian officials in the Sinai Peninsula say police killed 15 Sudanese migrants and wounded another eight who were trying to jump the border fence into Israel.

The officials say police opened fire on the migrants on Sunday after they ignored warning shots and sprinted toward the fence. The security forces arrested another eight Sudanese migrants who were not wounded.

Israel's interior ministry says more than 45 000 African migrants and asylum seekers are in Israel. Many say they are fleeing conflict and persecution and are seeking refugee status. Israel says they are economic migrants whose swelling numbers threaten the country's Jewish character.

All Egyptian officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak to the media.