The Israeli army reopened the Gaza Strip's Jewish settlements area this morning, a day after it declared it a "closed military zone" around the soon-to-be-disbanded compounds.
An army spokeswoman said the closure had been lifted allowing Israelis free access to the areas.
The closure was imposed yesterday following clashes with radical Jews resisting the planned pullout from the territory.
Security sources said the decision to prevent Israelis, other than residents, from entering all 21 settlements was intended to prevent an additional influx of fundamentalists who have attacked Palestinians and security forces in the area in the past few days.
In tandem with the lifting of entry restrictions, the Israeli army's senior commander in the area ordered a limit on the number of goods and belongings being brought into the area to enable an extended stay by settlers.
Israel's plan to evacuate all 21 Gaza settlements and four of 120 in the West Bank is set to begin in August. International mediators are hoping the move will revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
However, it is being strongly resisted both by settlers and by many members of the public in Israel - not just those with fundamentalist leanings. Protests swept Jerusalem and other cities in opposition to the plan put together by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
The army also said it was investigating reports that two soldiers had gone missing in the West Bank city of Nablus but it could not confirm they had been kidnapped.
A militant Palestinian faction said it was holding two Israeli soldiers it had seized, having earlier said it had killed them.
Military sources said preliminary checks had not revealed that any soldiers were missing.