CAIRO, May 20 (Reuters) - The Egyptian army has sent tanks across the Suez canal to the Sinai peninsula, where Islamist gunmen kidnapped seven soldiers and policemen last week, state daily al-Ahram said on Monday.

Gunmen demanding the release of jailed Islamist militants seized the hostages on the road between the Sinai towns of el-Arish and Rafah on Thursday.  (Reporting by Shaimaa Fayed and Thomas Perry; Editing by Alistair Lyon)