Egyptian authorities have closed the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip "indefinitely" for security reasons after a day of deadly violence nationwide", AFP reported citing a security official.

Hundreds of Palestinian travelers were left stranded on both sides of the crossing, the only gateway into the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory that bypasses Israel, witnesses said.

The measure follows widespread unrest in Egypt on Wednesday after a bloody crackdown by security forces on the supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.