Israel has expelled a suspected Palestinian activist from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip, under a policy condemned by human rights groups. Soldiers reportedly delivered Kamal Idris to a checkpoint near a Jewish settlement in the Strip on Monday. The army said that Mr Idris, who was not formally charged or tried, belonged to a "terrorist group" in Hebron which had launched attacks on Israelis. Fifteen people in the West Bank are currently fighting expulsion orders. Before Mr Idris, the Israeli Supreme Court had only allowed the army to expel three Palestinians to Gaza and had rejected requests to expel relatives of 'militants', too. The army said Mr Idris, 25, was expelled after his appeal to the court had been rejected. It described the expulsion - termed a "residency demarcation" - as a "preventative measure" against Palestinians who could not be put on trial for fear of exposing intelligence sources who provided information about them. Human rights groups have criticised the expulsion policy, which is of special significance to Palestinians, many of whom are refugees. Mr Idris was dropped off near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Palestinian Kamal Idris, who was expelled from the West Bank to Gaza, stands in the police headquarters in Gaza City, Monday, Nov. 10, 2003. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)