Another Palestinian group signs up to truce

"We agree to a truce of three months on condition that Israel frees Palestinian prisoners, ends assassinations, incursions and settlements and lifts the siege of (Palestinian leader) Yasser Arafat," the Gaza-based group said in a statement.

Palestinian security services arrested Thursday several members of the group, accusing them of carrying out rocket attacks on the Kfar Darom Jewish settlement in southern Gaza.

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Four Palestinian groups -- including Hamas and Islamic Jihad -- agreed on June 29 to call a three-month halt to anti-Israeli operations but attached a string of conditions including an end to the targeting of wanted militants as well as the release of all prisoners from Israeli detention.

Meanwhile, Washington is likely to step up pressure on Israel in coming weeks to stop construction on a controversial fence between Israel and the West Bank, the New York Times reported Sunday.

US objections to the fence signal a new willingness by the administration of President George W. Bush to be tough on Israel and to get involved in details of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, insiders and observers told the Times.

National security advisor Condoleezza Rice criticised the Israeli government's construction of the security fence in a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during her trip to the Middle East last week.

In another development the Israeli government on Sunday gave the green light for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Israel army radio reported.

The cabinet agreed by 13 votes to eight a motion authorising the release of more than 300 prisoners on the basis of a list drawn up the Shin Beth security service.

The list had been drawn up at the request of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who is keen to make a goodwill gesture to his Palestinian counterpart Mahmud Abbas who made the releases a key demand at their joint meeting last Tuesday.