Violence between Jewish settlers and soldiers erupted in a West Bank extremist stronghold as the evacuation of Gaza neared completion, with only one settlement left to be emptied and others already turned into piles of rubble by Israeli bulldozers.

ISRAELI bulldozers knocked down houses in four Gaza settlements yesterday, levelling once-thriving villages in hours as thousands of soldiers poured into four other communities in the final phase of removing holdout settlers from the coastal strip.

Thousands of Israeli troops dragged sobbing Jewish settlers out of homes, synagogues and even a nursery school today and hauled them onto buses in a massive evacuation, fulfilling Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s promise to withdraw from the Gaza Strip after a 38-year occupation.

Israel will insist on moving the Gaza-Egypt border crossing to a new location after Israel’s pullout from Gaza so Israeli inspectors can continue to check goods and people, Israel’s Security Cabinet was told today, and the emerging position appears to rule out the deployment of foreign inspectors at Gaza crossings.

Benjamin Netanyahu has assumed the mantle of leadership of opposition to Israel’s pullout from the Gaza Strip by resigning as finance minister as the Cabinet was about to vote on it – but he admitted he can’t stop the withdrawal, set to begin next week.

A three-year-old boy was killed and nine other people wounded in the northern Gaza Strip today when rockets fired by militants misfired and landed in Palestinian areas, rescue workers said.

Israel agreed in principle yesterday to evacuate a road along the Gaza-Egypt border that has been a major flashpoint of violence in recent years, Vice Premier Shimon Peres said after a Palestinian official warned that continued Israeli military patrols there would invite attacks.

Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a group of Israelis soldiers in the West Bank yesterday, killing one and wounding three, just a day after militant leaders in the area told Palestinian presidential candidate Mahmoud Abbas they were ready to abide by a cease-fire.

IT is most unfortunate that the Irish Examiner (December 21) chose to revive the myth that Israeli soldiers were responsible for the September 2000 death of Mohammed Jamal al-Dura.

Palestinians lobbed several mortar shells at an Israeli settlement in the northern Gaza Strip today hours after Israeli troops ended a raid of the area which was meant to stop such attacks.

Ibrahim Barzak, Gaza City

At least six Israeli soldiers were killed today when their armoured personnel carrier drove over a bomb during clashes with Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces battled Palestinian gunmen in Gaza City today, killing at least three Palestinians, while nearby an Israeli vehicle rolled over a large bomb, wounding several people inside, witnesses and officials said.

Israeli troops exchanged fire with Palestinians near an Gaza Strip Jewish settlement today – killing three gunmen.

Palestinian militants attacked an Israeli military vehicle near Gaza City today and fired a mortar at a nearby settlement.

An explosion has been heard near Gaza City today, but its cause was not immediately clear.

Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon hosted a secret meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah yesterday to discuss his plan to withdraw unilaterally from parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

ISRAELI helicopters fired two missiles at a car driving through the Gaza Strip yesterday, killing three people including two Hamas militants.

Israeli helicopters shot two missiles at a car driving through the Gaza Strip today, killing three people, Palestinian security sources said.

An explosion in the Gaza Strip today killed three people travelling in a car near the Israeli settlement of Netzarim, witnesses said.

ISRAELI troops killed eight Palestinians yesterday in the deadliest raid in the Gaza Strip in more than a month, casting a shadow over a new American push to salvage a battered peace plan.

Eight Palestinians were killed today in fierce fighting with Israeli troops in Gaza City, a Palestinian hospital official said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants to dismantle seven settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with the consent of settler leaders, Israel radio reported today.

Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians near a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, and the government ordered the evacuation of four settlement outposts in the West Bank, Israeli media reported.

Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians near a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip today, and the government ordered the evacuation of four settlement outposts in the West Bank, Israeli media reported.

The Palestinian prime minister has welcomed the prospect of talks with Hamas and the Islamic terror group said it would consider halting attacks against Israelis, just days after it took part in a deadly strike against a Jewish settlement in Gaza.

VIOLENCE flared in Palestine yesterday as Israel said it planned to extend its security barrier into a new area of the West Bank, despite international pressure to stop construction.

Palestinian gunmen killed three Israelis and wounded two others, one seriously, at an isolated Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip early today.

Israeli helicopters struck in Gaza City early today, killing two men – the second air assault within a few hours – and a teenage suicide bomber blew up a bus in Jerusalem, attacks that left 26 people dead, dozens wounded and a week-old Middle East peace plan in danger of collapse.

Israel’s prime minister Ariel Sharon has said he will take a US-backed “road map” for Middle East peace to his Cabinet as early as tomorrow – and saying he is confident the plan will win approval.

A bomb went off today near an armoured bus carrying Israelis in the Gaza Strip and at least one woman was hurt, the military said.

A bomb exploded today near a bus carrying Israelis in the Gaza Strip and several people were hurt, Israel Radio reported.

Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinian policemen in Gaza early today and attacked a Palestinian refugee camp, wounding 30 people, after 13 Israelis were hurt in Palestinian attacks, despite efforts by the US and European Union to promote a Middle East peace plan.

Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian who approached the fence of a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, the military said today.

Saddam Hussein has given out €230,000 to the families of 26 Palestinians killed during 29 months of fighting with Israel, including a €8,500 cheque for the family of a Hamas suicide bomber.

ISRAELI forces killed eight Palestinians and an Israeli soldier was shot dead yesterday as Israel’s centre-left Labour Party said it was pulling out of talks on joining Ariel Sharon’s coalition.

Eight Palestinians died and 28 others were wounded as Israel’s week-old military offensive against Islamic militants in the Gaza Strip intensified today.

Israeli troops captured a top Hamas fugitive today as they raided a stronghold of the Islamic militant group in Gaza City, killing two Palestinians and blowing up the home of a suspected bomb-maker.

Israeli troops raided a Gaza Strip town and a refugee camp today, killing a gunman and an apparent bystander and destroying several alleged weapon workshops.

FOUR Palestinians were killed yesterdayin separate incidents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including a teenager who was shot dead when rock-throwing Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops.

Four Palestinians were killed today in separate incidents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including a teenager who was shot dead when rock-throwing Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops.

Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian gunman during a fierce firefight in the Gaza Strip, the army said today.

A Palestinian woman and her two-year-old daughter were shot dead today while riding in a taxi in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinians, who claimed Israeli troops were responsible.

Israeli troops shot dead five armed Palestinians and a nine-year-old boy in separate incidents near a Jewish settlement yesterday, hours after a suicide bomber blew up a fast food restaurant, killing a 15-year-old girl.