Israel hasn't informed the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on the exact date when the evacuated settlements will be handed over, Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef said on Sunday.

Israeli army needs more time to finish demolishing the settlers' houses in the settlements and removing the debris, Yousef told reporters.

Commenting on the Jewish extremists' attempts to obstruct the Israeli withdrawal, Yousef said the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip should not be stopped by the withdrawal opponents.

In the meantime, Yousef insisted that there should be Israeli withdrawal from more territories in the West Bank and the withdrawal should be part of the roadmap peace plan.

Also on Sunday, Palestinian Minister of Civilian Affairs Mohammed Dahlan told reporters in Gaza that the PNA is holding intensive contacts with Israel over control of the Gaza Strip passages.

The two sides are holding meetings to avoid any contradiction between the issue of passages and withdrawal,

Dahlan said.

Source: Xinhua