Israel bans 'new' Jewish settlers in Gaza strip

JERUSALEM - Israel on Friday banned its citizens from moving into Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip in a bid to prevent more opponents of a planned pullout this summer from flocking to the area as new settlers.

The order, "prohibiting the relocation of Israeli citizens into the Gaza Strip", was issued by the military following media reports that hundreds of people recently moved into some of the 21 settlements and hundreds more were set to do so.

- REUTERS