Egyptian border guards have found a tunnel used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip through the Egypt-Gaza border, a security source said Wednesday.

"We have found quite a lot weapons in the tunnel, including rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine guns," the official said, adding the tunnel will be destroyed.

The tunnel was uncovered by the Egyptian forces recently deployed along the borderline to replace Israeli forces which quit the Gaza Strip on Monday after a 38-year occupation of the coastal strip.

Right after the Israeli army's withdrawal, thousands of Palestinians crossed into the Egyptian territories while hundreds of Egyptians also infiltrated into the Gaza Strip.

The chaotic situation made Israel express concerns over security in the Gaza Strip and urge Egypt to impose control in line with an Israeli-Egyptian deal under which 750 Egyptian forces are allowed to be deployed along the border.

Egyptian security sources said the Palestinians are given time to return to Gaza before 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT) Wednesday, after which the border will be sealed.

Tunnels have been found frequently under the Egypt-Gaza border in the past as Palestinian militants used them to smuggle weapons from Egypt into the Gaza Strip.

Source: Xinhua