The Israeli army has started to move equipment out of Gaza in a first step towards the evacuation of Jewish settlers from coastal territory later this year, a military spokesman said today.
He said 30 containers loaded with office furniture, computers and uniforms were being transferred from an army base in the Gush Katif settlement bloc to a military base across the fenced boundary in Israel.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon intends to dismantle 25 of 141 Jewish enclaves in Gaza and the West Bank this summer under his plan to "disengage" from conflict with the Palestinians.
Israel captured both territories in the 1967 Middle East war.