Israel plans to withdraw Gaza settlements quickly

Evacuation "by force" of settlers who refuse to leave on their own would begin on Sept. 1, 2005, to be completed by Sept. 15, 2005.

The second section of the timetable calls for negotiating with international organizations about issues like transferring property. The target date is October 2004.

The third section orders the military to begin preparing its withdrawal in July 2004, pulling out of Gaza between Sept. 15 2005 and Sept. 30, 2005, just after the final evacuation of the settlements.

In Gaza violence on Wednesday, a Hamas militant was killed as Israeli troops moved into Palestinian areas, surrounded a house and flattened farmland, Palestinian officials said.

Palestinian militants fired a rocket at an Israeli town from the area on Tuesday.

The military said soldiers returned fire after an anti-tank missile was fired at them.