Israeli forces swoop on hotel to eject Gaza hard-liners

In a separate development, an Israeli military operation was under way in the West Bank city of Nablus after the militant al-Aksa brigades faction first said it had killed two Israeli soldiers and then said they were alive but being held captive.

The Palestinian Authority said later it had handed over one of the soldiers to the Israelis, but the fate of the other soldier was unclear. The Israeli army declined to comment.

Palestinian residents said about 50 Israeli vehicles had entered Nablus. Troops were moving from street to street, with residents confined to their homes.

The Gaza hotel raid gave Ariel Sharon, Israel's prime minister, a victory in the first round of what promises to be a gruelling confrontation, pitting Israeli against Israeli over the plans to vacate 21 settlements on territory occupied by Israel in 1967.

The withdrawal does not, however, portend a complete end to Israeli occupation of the Strip because Israel will retain control of all entry and exit points.

At the Palm Beach Hotel, in Gaza's Katif settlement bloc, police used hammers to break down doors.

The extremists, who view the Gaza withdrawal as a betrayal of perceived biblical rights to territory including Gaza, were carried away kicking and screaming after an operation that took about half an hour.

Some of them shouted: "A Jew does not expel a Jew."

About 600 security force personnel took part in the operation.

"I hope that with this we have restored quiet to the area," said Dan Harel, the general in charge of Israel's southern command.

Zehava Galon, a liberal Israeli politician, said the raid was "too little, too late".

She said troops should have moved against the extremists two weeks ago after they took over the hotel.

Many Israelis were shocked by television footage broadcast on Wednesday of Jewish militants in Gaza stoning a Palestinian youth and shouting "kill him" as he lay on the ground immobilised from a previous injury.