The Egyptian authorities decided Thursday to close Rafah crossing point bordering the Palestinian Gaza Strip indefinitely, a security official at the crossing told Xinhua.

The crossing, the sole one for the Palestinian coastal enclave which has been under an Israeli blockade, was closed by the Egyptian side for a few days due to security concerns after the military ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi on July 3.

"The closure start from today due to the turmoil the country has gone through since Wednesday early morning while disbanding pro-Morsi sit-ins," the security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

He said the closure decision also came in response to the assaults launched by supporters of the deposed president on Wednesday who blocked the international coastal highway leading to Rafah.

At least 421 people were killed and 3,572 injured in disbanding pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo and Giza and relevant clashes in some other governorates, head of Egypt's Ambulance Authority, Mohamed Sultan, told Xinhua on Thursday.

After Wednesday's events, Egypt has announced a state of emergency for one month and imposed a curfew in several governorates including Cairo, Alexandria, and North and South Sinai.

The Gaza-ruling Hamas government also confirmed the closure of the border crossing.

Ihab Al-Ghussein, a Hamas spokesperson, said the closure of Rafah terminal was a result of "the security incidents that are happening in Egypt."

Travelling through Gaza's main gate to the outside world has been restricted to holders of foreign passports, foreign residency permits and patients after the ouster of Morsi. The working hours at the Egyptian side of the crossing were also reduced to four a day and working days were also intermittent.