JERUSALEM, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli army is expected to tighten restrictions on the entry of Israelis into the Gaza Strip ahead of the evacuation, local newspaper Ha'aretz reported Thursday.

    The army is likely to make Gaza a closed military zone, which is aimed at preventing far-right extremists from carrying out violent protests against the disengagement, military sources said following an overnight high-level securing meeting. When imposed, only residents of 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip will be allowed to enter or leave the area.

    The Israel Defense Forces are increasingly supportive of the tough measure, even though it would mean deploying large number of troops to block all the entrances to Gaza to prevent pullout opponents from reaching the Gush Katif settlement bloc in Gaza.

    The closure will have to be approved by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, but it is not yet clear how it will be implemented from a legal standpoint, the sources added.

    Israel plans to evacuate all the 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the northern West Bank this August. The plan, designed to "disengage" from conflicts with the Palestinians, has met with stepped-up protests from right-wing extremists and some settlers.

    Israeli security forces clashed Wednesday with anti-pullout activists who barricaded themselves inside an abandoned building in a Palestinian village in Gaza adjacent to Gush Katif. Around 15 people were arrested.

    In addition, anti-pullout demonstrators blocked main highways in sit-down protests across Israel during Wednesday evening rush hour and virtually jammed the traffic. Police arrested 150 demonstrators. Enditem