Cairo: The Palestinian president said today that Egypt will push for a new truce between Israel and the militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.

Mahmoud Abbas remarks followed a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. The former, six-month truce mediated by Mubarak, expired last Friday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is scheduled to come to Cairo on Thursday for talks with Mubarak about a new truce.

Abbas also said Egypt shouldn't be blamed for the blockade imposed on the coastal strip by Israel and Egypt after Hamas seized control of the area in June 2007. There have been protests recently in several Arab capitals over the blockade and condemnation of Egypt s role in it.

Abbas also said that he and Mubarak agreed that reconciliation talks between Palestinian rivals, militant Hamas and Abbas more moderate Fatah, should go forward.

Several rounds of power-sharing talks have failed since Hamas won Palestinian parliament elections in 2006. Egypt has been mediating between the rivals but talks fell apart last month when Hamas pulled out at the last minute over a dispute with Fatah over releasing Hamas prisoners.

Hamas seizure of Gaza split Palestinian territories in two, leaving Fatah in control of the West Bank only.

After the Mubarak-Abbas meeting, Egypt announced it will let all international aid into Gaza across its border with the Mediterranean strip.

Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said in a statement that the Egyptian Red Crescent will transport all humanitarian aid sent through Egypt.

Source : PTI