ESHKOL (Israel, bordering Gaza), Aug. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- The evacuation of the Gaza Strip is going faster than anticipated and the demolition of settler homes will begin at the end of next week,Israeli army said Wednesday.

    "The struggle against the evacuation has passed from the broad-based to the individual," said Major General Yisrael Ziv, commander of the army's operations branch.

    The evacuations from all Gaza settlements could be completed early next week, the general said, adding that another three or four settlements could be evacuated on Wednesday if the present pace continues.

    Earlier in the day, a senior aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said all or nearly all of the 21 Gaza Strip settlements could be evacuated within 48 hours, declaring that the opposition to the disengagement has failed.

    The sources from Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Southern Commandand the Disengagement Administration said that more than half the settlers in Gaza - 832 families out of the 1,550 registered as residents - had left their homes by midnight Tuesday, the deadline after which the IDF has announced it will use force against those who refuse to leave.

    Israel planned to finish all evacuations in about one month, andto demolish settlement houses in the following month. It will handover a whole Gaza to Palestinian National Authority afterwards.Enditem