Moscow - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday ensured Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Russia's continued support for the Palestinians in the Middle East.

The number of problems has definitely not grown less," said Medvedev as he received Abbas for an official meeting at the Kremlin, reported the Interfax news service.

Amman - A Jordanian plan to send humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip has been delayed until January so that it does not conflict with the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The Islamic Action Front (IAF), Jordan's largest political party, had planned to send the ship on Thursday, which is Christmas Day, in an attempt at "breaking the siege" Israel has imposed on the Gaza Strip.

However, European lawmakers and other activists who agreed to be on board the ship when it sails from the Red Sea port of Aqaba asked to be given time "to celebrate Christmas and New Year."

Washington  - US President George W Bush said there has been a "good deal" of progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process despite the failed effort to reach a settlement before he leaves office.

"No question this is a hard challenge," Bush said during a meeting Friday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "But, nevertheless, people must recognize that we have made a good deal of progress."

Tel Aviv  - The radical Islamic Hamas movement formally announced early Friday that a six-month truce with Israel had ended and would not be extended.

In a statement issued in Gaza by its armed wing the al-Qassam Brigades as the truce expired at 6 am (0400 GMT), Hamas blamed Israel for its collapse, Israel Radio reported.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum had already said Thursday that there was no room for extending the truce, brokered by Egypt on June 19.

An Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, in remarks broadcast on Israel Radio, expressed regret at the end of the truce and said the Palestinian people would be the ones paying the price.

Gaza City/Tel Aviv - Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip intensified their rocket attacks against Israel Wednesday, as a six-month ceasefire is about to expire.

Seven Gaza-made rockets were launched at Israel's southern Negev desert, one of which hit a hothouse, a military spokeswoman in Tel Aviv said.

Israel had again closed its border crossings with the Gaza Strip Tuesday, after the radical Islamic Jihad faction fired four rockets into its territory.

A truce brokered by Egypt on June 19 between Israel and Palestinian militant factions active in Gaza, including the radical Hamas movement ruling the strip, is entering its last day Thursday.

Tel Aviv/Ramallah - The Middle East peace process is hanging by a thread as 2009 is nearing - just one year after negotiations were revived following seven years of violence.