Israel has reimposed its clampdown on the Gaza Strip less than a day after easing restrictions to allow 25,000 Palestinians to use their permits again to work in Israel.
The Israeli army said the decision was taken following warnings of possible suicide attacks.
The West Bank and Gaza Strip, where Palestinians began an uprising in 2000, have been sealed off in an Israeli security operation.
Israel agreed yesterday to lift travel restrictions and free 180 detained Palestinians following the Middle East visit of the US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon continued to resist long-term aspects of the US-brokered "road map" for the region, which calls for a freeze on all Jewishsettlements and withdrawing the army to lines held before theintifada erupted 31 months ago.
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US Secretary of State Colin Powell (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon shake hands before their meeting in Jerusalem yesterday Photo: Reuters
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The gestures went some way toward meeting Mr Powell's request that Israel and the Palestinians start practical, conciliatory steps even before Israel endorses the peace plan, which aims for an independent Palestinian state in 2005.
Mr Powell this morning met envoys of the European Union, United Nations and Russia, who are the other members of the mediating Quartet. Mr Powell hs now arrivedin Cairo for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
The plan was unveiled earlier this month after new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas took office in a reform drive promoted by Washington.
Israel has also agreed to ease trade between Palestinian territories and adjacent Arab countries - Egypt and Jordan.
But the bigger question of whether Israel will accept the peace plan, as Palestinian leaders have, may be clarified only when Mr Sharon visits Washington to see President Bush on May 20th.
Right-wing parties dominating Mr Sharon's coalition oppose dismantling Jewish settlements in the territories as well as granting sovereignty to the 3.5 million Palestinians there.
Two men from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades were reported killed in an Israeli raid in Rafah area of Gaza at dawn this morning. Elsewhere, an Israeli man was shot dead yesterday when gunmen opened fire on his car near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.
Israeli troops also shot dead a Palestinian teenagerin the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis this morning.Palestiniansecurity sources said the 17-year-old was killed by Israeli soldiers guarding thenearby Jewish settlement of Ganei Tal.
Agencies