Israel to seek hundreds of millions of pull-out aid

Israel will ask Washington for hundreds of millions of dollars to help foot the bill for next month’s €1.6bn evacuation of the Gaza Strip and four northern West Bank settlements, a senior Israeli official said today.

Meanwhile, the government is considering declaring Gaza settlements off-limits to non-residents to thwart an attempt by settlers to sabotage the evacuation by flooding the area with protesters, said an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.