The Palestinian president has promised to continue a 16-month-old ceasefire with Israel - denying Hamas ever broke it.

After meeting Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, on Saturday, Mahmoud Abbas said Hamas had not discarded the truce in the past week.

"Hamas did not break the truce, although some violations have happened, due to the killing of the family [on a Gaza beach on June 9]," he said.

The Palestinian leader promised to uphold the ceasefire "in order to have people living in peace".

His comments came two days after Hamas, which holds a majority in the Palestinian parliament, offered to restore the truce, which broke down after a beach explosion killed eight Palestinians, including women and children.

Israel was shelling Gaza around that time but has said it was not responsible for the beach blast.

Israel responded favorably to the offer by Hamas.

Mark Regev, spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry said on Friday that "if it is quiet, we will answer that with quiet".

In Egypt, Abbas also talked to Mubarak about infighting between his Fatah party and the ruling Hamas, with Mubarak underscoring the need for continued dialogue between the two factions, said Mubarak's spokesman Suleiman Awwad.

"The dialogue will yield results that are in harmony with international legitimacy, and will prove to the world that there is a Palestinian partner who is worth resuming negotiations with," Awwad said.

Abbas also thanked Egypt for humanitarian aid sent to the Palestinian territories.

After Mubarak met Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, in Sharm al-Sheikh on June 4, more than 50 truckloads of Egyptian medicine and food were allowed to cross into Gaza, Awwad said.

The cash-strapped Palestinian Authority has been struggling to stay afloat after most international aid was cut off following Hamas won elections in January.

Photo Caption

Mahmoud Abbas (L) met Hosni Mubarak on Saturday