Abbas said he still believes in peace though the Israeli attacks has entered the 15th day.

The Palestinian leader also called on Hamas to reach an agreement to end the conflict "without hesitation".

"We hope Hamas will reach an agreement without hesitation," said Abbas, adding "The situation does not allow us to lose time."

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak (R) talks with Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier during their meeting in Cairo January 10, 2009. [Xinhua/Reuters]

On Saturday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also arrived in Egypt for talks with Mubarak, hailing the ongoing international and Egyptian efforts in forging a ceasefire in Gaza.

Steinmeier also met in Ramallah with Abbas, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa on the latest developments in the Middle East.

On the proposed international presence in the Palestinian territories, Abul Gheit ruled out the possibility of deploying international troops at the Egyptian border with Gaza.

"Any kind of international troops will not be on the Egyptian side," Abul Gheit told the press after talks with Steinmeier.

Earlier on Saturday, Abbas called for an international presence in Gaza to protect Palestinian civilians in the coastal strip, but stressing that the international force should be only on the Palestinian lands.

"We are calling for the presence of an international force to protect the Palestinians," said Abbas, "We want the international force to be deployed in Gaza, not on the Egyptian borders."

Egypt has been also in contacts with Israel and Hamas on the ceasefire proposal.

According to the Egyptian MENA news agency, Emad al-Alami, headof Hamas office in Syria, arrived in Egypt on Saturday for talks with Egyptian mediators on the ceasefire plan.

Another Hamas delegation, grouping three Hamas leaders, Ayman Taha, Jamal Abu Hashim and Salah el-Bardawil from the embattled Gaza Strip, crossed into Egypt Friday night via Rafah crossing to join the talks with Egyptian mediators on the current situation in the Palestinian enclave.

But leaders of 10 Palestinian factions in Syria, including the exiled Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal, Islamic Jihad Secretary General Ramadan Abdallah Shalah and Ahmed Jibril of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, has rejected international deployment in Gaza.

"The deployment of international forces in the Gaza Strip aims at neutralizing the resistance in Gaza in light of continuing occupation and separation of Gaza from the West Bank," said Muhammad Nazzal, a senior official of Hamas.

An Israeli delegation arrived in Egypt and discussed "the main details and how to implement (the Egyptian proposal)" on Thursday.

About 854 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3,500 injured in the 15-day Israeli offensive against Gaza in retaliation for the rocket attacks by Hamas militants.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2009)