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.

HAMAS yesterday launched an ill-fated sea-borne attack on an Israeli beach-front settlement in Gaza.

Israeli soldiers killed two armed Palestinians dressed in diving gear, who attempted to infiltrate a Gaza Strip settlement from the coast in the latest in a series of failed attempts to avenge Israel’s assassination of the Hamas spiritual leader.

An armed Palestinian was shot by Israeli troops as Palestinians resumed mortar fire against Israelis in the Gaza Strip.