Israel has formally begun its operation to evacuate Jewish settlements in the occupied Gaza Strip.
Staying in the settlements is now illegal and the Israeli army is to begin evicting any remaining settlers on Wednesday.
Thousands of Israeli and Palestinian forces are on high alert as hardliners among the 8,500 inhabitants have promised to resist the pullout from settlements.
Thousands of Israeli police have blocked approaches to Gaza to keep back Jewish protesters.
The operation has been mainly peaceful although there are reports that a French television sound technician was kidnapped at gunpoint.
It is also reported that journalists were assaulted by youths at the entrance to the main settlement of Neve Dekalim, where angry settlers also smashed car windows and set fire to tyres.
Observers see the Gaza withdrawal as a major gamble that could serve as a catalyst to peace or trigger a fresh round of blood-letting that could rival the violence seen at the heights of the recent intifada.
