Washington, Jan. 18 : After he assumes office as the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama is planning to reach out to the Islamic world to reassure Muslims.

According to The Times, he intends to give a speech in an Islamic capital during his first 100 days in office as a sign of his engagement.

He has not said where. It could be Egypt, Pakistan, or even Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, where he spent part of his childhood.

Damascus  - The exiled number two of the Islamist movement Hamas, Mussa Abu Marzuq, said Sunday an agreement was reached between the Palestinian factions for a one-week truce to allow Israeli troops to withdraw from Gaza.

Delivering a speech on Syrian state television, where the meeting of the Palestinian factions took place, Abu Murzuq said: "We in the Palestinian resistance movements announce a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and demand that enemy forces withdraw in one week and open all the border crossings to allow the entry of humanitarian aid essential needs."

He added that the movement is ready to accept all political efforts, particularly those of the Egyptians, Turks, Syrians and Qataris, to reach an agreement that meets Hamas' demands.

Beirut  - Angry Lebanese and Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip clashed with Lebanese security forces near the US embassy north of Beirut on Sunday, as the Palestinian group Hamas confirmed a one-week truce in Gaza.

The Lebanese police used tear gas and water cannons when the demonstrators broke through barbed wire placed just a few meters from the US embassy located in Awkar, 15 kilometres north of Beirut.

At least six demonstrators were wounded in the clashes.

The police initially managed to disperse the crowd, but the demonstrators regrouped and continued their protest near the embassy.

Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt  - French President Nicolas Sarkozy Sunday called on Israel to withdraw from Gaza, a day after it issued a unilateral truce which took effect early Sunday.

"There is no need to stay in Gaza. It will offer nothing for Israel's security but will shake the power of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas," Sarkozy told world leaders who are meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm-al-Sheikh to discuss means of establishing a lasting peace in Gaza.

Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and Sarkozy were jointly chairing Sunday's summit.

Sarkozy extended support to the Palestinian President who was also attending the summit.

Gaza City - Palestinian militant factions in the Gaza Strip, including Hamas, said Sunday they agreed to a ceasefire with Israel, but gave the Jewish state one week to withdraw its forces from the

Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt  - World leaders met in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm-al-Sheikh on Sunday to discuss means of establishing a lasting peace in Gaza, as sporadic violence continued despite a unilateral Israeli truce that took effect early Sunday.

Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy were chairing Sunday's summit.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will reportedly attend, as will German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, and Turkish President Abdullah Gul.