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RAMALLAH, West Bank — An explosion Thursday rocked a building used by an elite Palestinian police unit, injuring three officers, as Palestinians defied Israeli warnings by firing more mortar shells at Jewish settlements in Gaza. 

Despite the mortar attacks, Israeli soldiers late Thursday began dismantling roadblocks that divided the Gaza Strip into three parts, preventing Palestinian travel, the Israeli military said. Palestinian police commander Abdel Razek el-Majaidah said Israel had informed him that travel restrictions would be eased. 

Majaidah noted that there is a standing order from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat against firing mortars or other weapons from populated Palestinian areas, to prevent injury to civilians from Israeli retaliation. 

The blast came minutes after Israel’s security Cabinet completed a special session to discuss a response to Palestinian attacks, often a signal to launch a retaliatory strike. Israel has accused Force 17, Arafat’s personal guard unit, of involvement in many attacks. 

However, Israel said it had nothing to do with the explosion. 

The blast ripped the roof off the two-story building in downtown Ramallah, where Force 17 had an office. At first the Palestinians said an Israeli helicopter rocketed the building, but there was little evidence on the ground to support the claim, and Palestinian security officials later admitted that the blast came  

from inside. 

Rubble from the roof was strewn around the area, indicating that the explosion went off inside the building. Awad Khader, who owns a shop across from the stricken building, said, “The explosion happened inside the building.” He said, “I didn’t hear any noise of airplanes in the sky.” 

Palestinian police quickly closed off the area and moved people away, but not before officers in competing security arms were seen scuffling. Police confiscated reporters’ film and videotape. 

Later Thursday, Palestinian security released a statement saying that the blast was caused by a gas leak that set fire to the building. Witnesses said no fire trucks arrived at the scene. 

Though peace talks are frozen because of the violence, Palestinian officials, requesting anonymity, said negotiator Saeb Erekat met Thursday with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. Israeli officials had no immediate comment. 

Frustration appeared to be building up among Israelis and their leaders over the inability to stop Palestinian mortar attacks. 

After nightfall, two mortar shells landed in fields near Nir Oz, a collective farming village just outside Gaza. 

Two mortar shells exploded harmlessly near the Jewish settlement of Atzmona on Thursday afternoon, the military said. Overnight, Israeli forces fired on several members of the Islamic militant group Hamas who were firing mortars, seriously wounding a senior Hamas activist, Khalil Sakani. 

Hamas claimed responsibility for firing mortar shells at the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom overnight, and later released a film showing Hamas activists firing mortar rounds. 

Israel television reported that the security Cabinet, made up of senior ministers, discussed Israeli strategy following a week in which the Israelis tried occupying a sliver of Palestinian-controlled territory in Gaza to move an Israeli town out of mortar range, but hastily withdrew under stiff U.S. pressure. Mortar fire resumed from the same area hours later. 

Late Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon talked by telephone with President Bush in an attempt to overcome disagreements about the incursion. Sharon told Bush the Israeli army “will have no choice but to carry out preventive measures” if the mortar fire persists, a statement from Sharon’s office said. 

Jewish settlers, who voted overwhelmingly for Sharon in a February election, are criticizing him for failing to stop the violence. 

Despite the incursion and hasty withdrawal, Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit said Israel “has the complete right according to international law” to invade Palestinian territory to defend itself.