GAZA CITY - The Israeli Army has said Palestinians males aged 15 to 35 may not leave the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Palestinian security sources said Saturday.

The ban came into effect Saturday and is open-ended, the sources said, adding that it could be linked to the looming prospect of a U.S.-led strike on Iraq.

Following the ban, a hundred Palestinians were turned back at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the sources said.

"This is a new escalation in Israel's aggressive policy against the Palestinian people, and we can except other repressive measures as the war in Iraq is nearing," said top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat.

Israeli military sources told AFP however that the Rafah border was closed Saturday to Egyptian Palestinians for "security reasons," but they did not elaborate.