Going as planned: Brig. Gen. (res.) Eival Giladi, the Prime Minister's Advisor for Strategic Coordination, told a press conference Monday that the first day of the Gaza disengagement program went "more or less" as officials believed it would in advance.
Giladi said dozens of families left their homes in the Gaza Strip without a struggle, and estimated a total of 700-to-800 families – about half the families who live there - would leave by Wednesday, when security forces are expected to begin forcibly removing people from the Strip.
Giladi also spoke about the clashes
between settlers and security forces who tried to serve eviction notices in Neve Dekalim, and said most of the instigators were not Gush Katif residents.
"They must understand that they are mostly harming the families they claim to be fighting on behalf of," he said. "Some families wanted to get organized, pack their belongings, and leave, but the pullout opponents wouldn't let them."
Two-thirds apply for compensation
Giladi said 31 moving trucks managed to get into Neve Dekalim to help those families who want to leave.
Currently, about two-thirds of Gaza 1,127 families have applied to the Disengagement Authority for compensation payments. 470 have already
received their compensation money, 230 have received keys to mobile homes in Nitzan, and 48 have taken advantage of the more than 1,500 hotel rooms the government has rented for evacuees.
Giladi also spoke about the approximately 5,000 "infiltrators" who have evaded army roadblocks in recent weeks to get to Gush Katif, calling their presence in Gaza "illegal," but saying authorities decided against cracking down on the phenomenon out of concern for Gaza residents.
Law-abiding protesters
He also said Tuesday would be the final day for residents to voice their objection to the pullout while remaining within the bounds of the law.
"We must remember, the settlers may refuse to accept the disengagement, but they are also law-abiding citizens," he said.
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