Egyptian police confiscated a weapons cache including rifles, anti-tank missiles, and ammunition in the Sinai desert near the Gaza border on Saturday, Egyptian security sources said.

Egyptian police found at least five boxes of weapons hidden in mountains about 77 kilometres south of the border town of Rafah, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Police had cordoned off the area but had not made any arrests, the sources said.

Israel has accused Egypt of not doing enough to stop arms reaching Palestinian factions through the Sinai desert, and Egyptian authorities publicise their activities to stop smuggling and illegal crossings.

A halt to the smuggling is among Israeli conditions for considering an Egyptian-proposed ceasefire with Islamist militant group Hamas in Gaza.

The area where the cache was found was also used by militant groups accused of bombings in 2004 and 2005 in the Egyptian resorts of Taba and Sharm Al-Sheikh, the sources said.-Reuters