Gaza pullout: Hakeem Abu Samra

The BBC News website and BBCArabic.com spoke to four Israelis and four Palestinians for their thoughts on the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Hakeem: Govt worker, Gaza "At the moment we live in a prison, but soon we will be free" Abdullah: Accountant, Gaza "Further agreements to improve conditions in Gaza must follow" Ashraf Accountant, W Bank "It is a trick to mislead domestic and world opinion" Lama: Aid worker, Gaza city "The Gaza pullout will make no difference - it's a unilateral step"

Ayelet: Lecturer, Haifa "I'm happy about the withdrawal - it will bring peace of mind" Shimon: 58, Pharmacist "I think it's a good move but I do have reservations" Arlene: Writer, Jerusalem "The withdrawal gives the upper hand to terrorists" Anita: Farmer, Gush Khatif "The evacuation is totally immoral and unethical"

Hakeem, government employee, Beit Lahia, Gaza

We are in favour of the disengagement, it is a historic moment for the Palestinian people, to finally feel free.

We, in Gaza, suffer from the settlers, they close main roads and prevent families from seeing each other. If you want to visit friends and family it may take you two hours to travel seven kilometres.

Secondly, our land will be given back to us. Because it is nearer the sea, we can think about developing areas for tourism and we will have back the best places for water resources.

Gaza is a small area and these settlements take up a lot of land in what one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

People here are waiting to hear the news that the settlers have all left. They want to celebrate.

From what I hear, there are only a few small families remaining in the settlements.

Some of my friends said the settlers in and around Dugit had sold all their furniture to local Palestinians. Then they moved at night as they were afraid of attacks.

I think they didn't want us to watch them leave.

It will be a historic moment. It is, I suppose, a kind of happiness. At the moment we live in a prison, but soon we will be free.

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The following comments reflect the balance of views received:

I believe the Palestinians have every right to live on their land, it was their land in the first place! We Israelis should realise and respect the fact that the Palestinians were imprisoned for years and years. Everyone should live in peace. It was the Palestinians' land in the first place.
James Zimmerman, Jerusalem Israel

I have always viewed the Israelis' settlements on Palestinian land as building a house in somebody else's living room. Israel is just now responding to what the rest of the world, except the USA, has been calling for all along. The settlements are illegal and only Israel with the full backing of the United States could thumb its nose on the rest of the world for so long with impunity. But just as one writer put it; Israel is steadily building more settlements on the West Bank, just as the Sierra Leonean saying, " digging a hole to cover a hole."
Danny, Dallas, Texas

This disengagement is good for all people involved. I agree with James Suddrey (above); the Palestinians should not be suppressed. But this whole disengagement seems two-faced. On one hand settlements are being moved from the Gaza Strip and on the other hand more settlements are being built in West Bank...
Joe Dunne, Galway, Ireland

By leaving Gaza, the Israelis and the world give the Palestinians yet another opportunity to build their economy, build a just social and legal system, and become a mature and peaceful member of the world community. I can only hope and pray that this time they do not waste another chance to take responsibility for their future.
Mark, Chicago, USA

I am sorry that a man who has lived with Jews for three generations now "is happy to see them leave". I am sorry because it makes me wonder -if such a calm and reasonable man can show so little empathy for a people who have to leave their ancestral homes - what hope is there, really for peace? Is this all for nothing?
Inna Tysoe, Sacramento, CA USA

I do feel for the Palestinian peoples who have suffered so much under the Israeli government. But with this withdrawal I now pray that the Israeli people do not suffer at the hands of the Palestinian extremists as they have done so much in the past. I hope both can begin to live in peace side by side.
Omar Mughal, UK

I have no problem with the fact that my country will stop to control Gaza. But I do feel that more terror will come from here. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are not going to disappear. Since Oslo, each time the army moved out of some town, terrorists were moving in and then coming to our homes. And then our soldiers had to return, no matter how much they hated it. This step makes sense only if we will not have to return, otherwise there will be only death and disappointment from both sides. But it depends on Palestinians, not us.
Vladimir, Israel

I have visited Israel twice in the last 10 years and have seen how the Palestinians are suffering. They have a right to live in freedom without the terrible restrictions that the Israeli state puts on them.
B Doughty, Bermuda

Palestinians shouldn't celebrate too much. While the withdrawal from Gaza is a big step, they should pay attention to the future of the West Bank. While withdrawing from Gaza, Israel is building additional settlements in the West Bank.
Zack, Toronto, Canada

I think that there has been in our country a lot of support for the Jewish settlers, but I am glad now that the world is taking seriously the plight of the Palestinian people. The Jews believe they are God's people and that this land is promised to them by God, but the Palestinians are also God's people and deserve to live there as much as the Jews do. Where does it say in the Torah that they are to treat people with disdain the same way that the Palestinians have been treated since 1967? I think God would want the Jewish people to love those people who live in the Gaza Strip, not suppress them in their own land.
James Suddrey, Luton

The settlers do not belong on that land and it deserves to be in the hands of the Palestinians that were born there and who have fought with stones and desperation against helicopter gunships and state of the art military hardware.
Shane Davey, London