The U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice held talks with the Palestinian prime minister on Saturday, a day ahead of an expected truce announcement by Palestinian groups. Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, in his four-hour meeting with Rice in the West Bank city of Jericho, pressed demands for the release of political prisoners held by Israel, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territories and a freeze on Jewish settlement activity there, Palestinian Cabinet Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said. Also Rice meets with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday, when Palestinian groups plan a formal announcement that they will halt attacks against Israelis for three months. However, Mohammed al-Hindi, an Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza, said the formal announcement could be put off until Monday, if necessary. Intensive meetings continued Saturday to work out the final wording of the truce announcement and to try to bring 10 smaller factions on board. Together with a preliminary agreement by Israel to withdraw troops from the Gaza Strip and West Bank town of Bethlehem, a truce could provide a major boost to the "road map" peace plan launched by U.S. administration at a June 4 Mideast summit. The Syrian-based leaders of the two main Islamic groups, Islamic Jihad and the larger Hamas group, agreed to a truce earlier in the week, according to a Palestinian legislator involved in the negotiations. But Gaza-based Islamic groups members initially denied there was a deal, then said details remained to be worked out. Ramadan Shalah, the main Islamic Jihad leader based in Damascus, told the Dubai-based Al Arabiya satellite channel that Islamic Jihad "has agreed with the Hamas movement and the Fatah movement to suspend military operations" against Israel. He said he expected an announcement Sunday. Hamas leaders also have said they agreed to a truce but will only formally declare their acceptance in a joint document still being finalized. Islamic Jihad, Hamas and Palestinian leader Fatah faction continued negotiations Saturday to finalize the wording of the announcement. And at least one of the smaller factions, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, appeared to be holding out approval, a Palestinian negotiator said on condition of anonymity. A number of West Bank leaders, speaking in the name of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, also complained in a statement that they had not been consulted on the deal. The Brigades are loosely linked to Fatah. The White House welcomed a preliminary agreement Friday to turn over security responsibility in Gaza and Bethlehem to the Palestinian Authority, calling it a "first significant joint step toward implementation of commitments" Israeli and Palestinian leaders made at the summit with Bush. The road map requires that Israeli forces gradually withdraw to positions held before the outbreak of fighting in September 2000. Arafat's Fatah approved the deal at its weekly Saturday meeting. Details of how to implement it were to be worked out at meetings Sunday in Gaza and Bethlehem. The progress in negotiations was accompanied by mounting pressure by Palestinians for guarantees regarding the release of prisoners. A noisy crowd gathered outside of Abbas' office Saturday in the West Bank town of Ramallah, demanding he raise the issue with Rice. Plunging into the crowd, Abbas demanded a loudspeaker and shouted: "There will be no peace or security if even one Palestinian prisoner remains behind bars. Be sure that we will exert our utmost in order to empty all prisons of prisoners." Rice planned to continue talks with Palestinian officials on Sunday, while lower-level U.S., Israeli and Palestinian officials held separate trilateral meetings. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas at his office in the West Bank town of Ramallah Saturday June 28, 2003. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen