Gaza City - The Palestinian Islamic Jihad faction on Saturday vowed to respond to any violation by Israel of an Egyptian- brokered ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Abu Ahmad, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad's armed wing, said the movement's armed wing, said the movement "accepted the ceasefire from a strong position but will strongly respond to the Israeli violations."

Geneva - Palestinians are facing greater social and economic hardships with the situation exacerbated by rising food prices, according to a new report published Thursday.

"Working poverty is rising, genuine employment is declining, and frustration is growing", said the annual study of workers in the region compiled by the International Labour Office (ILO).

Unemployment was hovering around 20 per cent as a result of what the report called a "severe economic siege" which had closed crossings to all but essential humanitarian supplies.

Damascus - Israel has accepted in principle Egyptian proposals for a truce with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, a senior member of the Palestinian factions based in Syria said Thursday.

Egyptian proposals to end hostilities between the two sides have been the focus of talks between Egypt's chief of intelligence, Omar Suleiman, and Israeli and Hamas officials.

Israel wants any truce deal to include the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants in June 2006, as part of an exchange of prisoners with the Palestinians.

Ramallah  - Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip took to the streets Thursday with rallies, marches and a two-minute siren at noon to mark 60 years since creation of Israel and the subsequent dispersion of hundreds of thousands of refugees.

The central event of the Naqba (Catastrophe) commemorations took place in Ramallah, where, in a pre-recorded speech, President Mahmoud Abbas told a jam-packed central square that Palestinians were marking the event not to feel sorry for themselves, but to remind the world of their long struggle.

Ramallah - Palestinians may yet accept a framework agreement for a peace treaty with Israel if a final deal is unreachable by the end of the year, a senior advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday.

Nimr Hammad, Abbas' political advisor, told Voice of Palestine Radio that even though a framework agreement "is not what we want and does not meet our expectations, it however will keep things moving and this means pressure on Israel."

Moscow  -  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow Thursday upheld plans for Middle East conference in June, calling it imperative to "save the peace process."

"We have great hopes the conference will unblock the peace process between Palestinians and Israel, and that it will be the beginning of a comprehensive process to establish peace in the Middle East including Syria and Lebanon," Abbas spoke to Moscow university students Thursday.

The Palestinian leader arrived in Moscow Wednesday for a three-day visit culminating in talks with President Vladimir Putin and his successor-elect Dmitry Medvedev on Friday.