Israeli army begins to remove equipment from Gaza

"In order to complete disengagement as quickly as possible, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has begun to remove logistical equipment and infrastructure from their bases in the Gaza Strip," an army spokesman told AFP.

"Around 30 containers are due to leave a base in the southern Gaza Strip today to just outside the territory."

The army and 8,000 Jewish settlers are all due to be evacuated from the occupied territory in an operation due to begin later this summer.

The spokesman said the equipment being transferred involved non-essential items such as computers, clothing and furniture.

"It does not involve security or defence infrastructure," he said. "It is not diluting our ability to defend Israeli citizens."

The removal of equipment from Gaza comes a day after Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz travelled to the Gush Katif settlement bloc in the south of the territory where the majority of settlers live.

During his visit, Mofaz told AFP he was willing to consider delaying the start of the operation to evacuate the settlers, which is currently due to begin in late July, for three weeks in order to allow observant Jews to mark a period of Jewish mourning.

A ministerial meeting on Tuesday deferred a final decision on when to begin the pullout, further fuelling accusations that the government is ill-prepared for the operation.

The spectre of impending chaos was given further substance when Sharon told the cabinet sub-committee that the pullout would be immediately followed by widespread looting of the Gush Katif settlements from Palestinians living in the nearby towns of Rafah and Khan Yunis.