A LARGE-SCALE military offensive in the Gaza Strip was threatened by Ariel Sharon yesterday if the Palestinian Authority does not stop the militant group Hamas firing rockets at Israel.

The Prime Minister told his Cabinet that he had instructed the army “to act without limitation to stop the strikes on Israeli communities”. Shaul Mofaz, the Defence Minister, also gave warning of a “massive, prolonged and intricate military strike”.

In continuing violence yesterday, an Israeli sniper shot dead one Hamas militant in Gaza, and Hamas fired mortars at settlements. In a televised address Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, accused Israel of truce violations but warned Hamas to stop the attacks and halt its challenge to Palestinian Authority security forces.

A confrontation was also developing on another front: Israeli police refused to give a permit for a scheduled march of settlers to Gaza today. Settler leaders say that tens of thousands are to converge on Gaza to try to block the pullout.

Police and settlers negotiated throughout the day, but the talks broke down when the settlers refused to declare a finish time to the protest.

Defiant settler leaders insisted last night that they would go ahead with the march, which could set off violent clashes. There have already been scuffles at the main crossing point into Gush Katif, the main bloc of settlements, since Israel declared Gaza off limits to non-residents last week. Israeli television reported that 15,000 soldiers and police would try to head off the marchers 8km (5 miles) from the crossing.

The Gaza evacuation plan has also caused rifts within army ranks. Israeli commanders disbanded a platoon of religious Jewish conscripts yesterday after nine refused orders to seal off the occupied Gaza Strip in preparation for the evacuation of 21 settlements. It is the most drastic move yet by Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz, the chief of staff, to try to stop the withdrawal being sabotaged by right-wing soldiers.

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