The agreement commits the authority to broadcast to Israel live video footage of security screenings at the Rafah crossing.

But according to the Israelis, the pictures have been arriving with a “significant delay”, making it impossible for them to file timely complaints of any irregularities to European Union observers at the border.

Under the Agreement on Movement and Access, forged November 15 by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the E.U. inspectors have the authority to demand that suspect travellers be delayed and the Palestinian Authority reassess them when Israel expresses concern about their entry.

Palestinian security sources also admitted to the radio station that 10 to 15 high-ranking, wanted militants had returned to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing in the seven days since the border was reopened and came under Palestinian control.

The militants who returned are senior members of Izzadin al-Qassam, the armed wing of the radical Islamic Hamas movement, which has carried out scores of suicide bombings against Israel, the radio said.

They had either fled the Gaza Strip to escape arrest by Israel or had been expelled by Israel for their involvement in attacks against it.

The Palestinian security sources said they could not prevent the entry of people with Palestinian citizenship and the militants “do not intend” to return to armed activity.

Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon warned at a news conference Thursday that if the Palestinian Authority failed to fulfil its commitments in the Rafah agreement, Israel would turn its own border passages with the Gaza Strip into international border crossings, which meant cancelling a unified tax zone.