Abbas says factions agree to halt violence

PALESTINIAN President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that militant groups promised him they would suspend their attacks on Israel in the hope of ending a nearly two-month-long Israeli crackdown in the Gaza Strip.

Militant groups hedged their bets, denying there was a formal agreement with Abbas, while leaving the door open to a possible halt in attacks.

There was only minor violence reported yesterday, and there appears to have been a drop in rocket attacks against Israel in recent days.