Evacuation by force begins

August 17 – the evacuation begins: Hundreds of IDF soldiers and special police officers entered late Tuesday key areas in Neve Dekalim, the largest Gush Katif settlement.

The forces who entered late Tuesday were met by youth activists and confrontations in the area have begun, with youngsters pouring paint on buses and puncturing the tires on the vehicle of Gaza Division Commander Aviv Kochavi. Disturbances have ensued, but as the clock hit midnight, forces quickly detained the rioters and forced them onto buses, which took them out of Gaza. 

Many activists who have illegally infiltrated Gaza are not planning on leaving quietly, and have already clashed with security forces. The tires of a jeep containing a Gaza IDF chief have been punctured, and soldiers have been verbally attacked.

At the Gama junction, which leads to the Kissufim junction, several dozen right wing activists blocked the road, in an attempt to delay security forces arriving from the IDF’s tent city in Raim. Police have cleared the protesters using force, and some of the activists required medical assistance.

Security forces entering Neve Dekalim (Photo: AFP)

Security forces are securing the main road, and are expected to seal off the entire area as they begin the evacuation.

Barricaded at synagogue

Although the evacuation is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning, Neve Dekalim settlers feared the army will attempt to evacuate the thousands of youngsters who have illegally infiltrated the settlement as early as Tuesday night. Youngsters opposed to the pullout gathered at the settlement’s synagogue to prevent such a scenario from occurring.

The boys were assembled in the settlement’s Sephardic synagogue, while the girls gathered in the Ashkenaz one. The teens are expected to receive Torah lessons from local rabbis during the course of the night.

Food supplies were brought into the complex in light of the possibility the teens may have to remain there for a lengthy period of time.

The teens were told not to fear arrests, and a few settlers who had planned on evacuating voluntarily burst in to tears at the site of IDF troops raiding their home.

“They should at least let us leave in dignity,” one settler said, adding that the residents were promised evacuating forces would not enter before 48 hours have passed since the eviction notices were handed out.

A lot of money at stake

Earlier smoke was seen rising from the settlement as locals set tires on fire in protest of the evacuation.

The confrontation between security forces and Neve Dekalim residents is set to take place in three focal points: The synagogues, the Rabbi Tal yeshiva and the settler homes.

Meanwhile, a number of Neve Dekalim families are packing up their belongings ahead of the evacuation, and several families were seen making their way out of Gush Katif via the Kissufim crossing. Those families choosing not to evacuate willingly risk losing a large chunk of their compensation payment.

IDF Southern Command Chief Dan Harel said Operation “Brotherly Hand” would end at midnight with the expiration of ultimatum given to the settlers. The forcible evacuation phase of the pullout would follow, he said, adding, “The forces will enforce the law with added resolve.”

Ronny Sofer, Hanan Greenberg, and Ilan Marciano contributed to this article