Hamas Agrees to Cease Attacks

The announcements, essentially restoring a de facto cease-fire in place before the summit, mark a partial victory for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who met with militant leaders late Saturday in Gaza City to press them to halt further attacks on Jewish settlements.

The talks carried urgency after Hamas fighters let loose with an extended barrage of rocket and mortar fire in the Gaza Strip two days after Tuesday's summit in the seaside resort of Sharm el Sheik.

Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said after Saturday's meeting that his group was "committed to what is called 'quietness.' " He added that Hamas would launch strikes against Israeli targets in retaliation for any perceived hostile acts by Israel.

The group said Thursday's attack, which caused no injuries, was in response to the deaths of two Palestinians, one of them a man who was shot while walking near a settlement in southern Gaza.

In a shift, Hamas said it would consult first with Palestinian Authority officials before deciding on any retaliation.

Zahar said Hamas leaders would hold internal discussions during the coming weeks to address concerns, including their quest for more clout within Palestinian politics. The group plans to run in parliamentary elections this summer and is pushing for rules to ensure that it would get the most seats possible. Hamas is also intent on winning the release of most or all of the 8,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Islamic Jihad also planned to confer with its members.

Israel, meanwhile, said earlier Saturday that it would allow dozens of Palestinian deportees to return to their homes in the West Bank. The return of deportees, an important issue to Palestinian militants, would affect about 55 Palestinians expelled to Gaza or Europe. Most were deported under terms that ended a standoff between Palestinian fighters and Israeli troops at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in 2002. It was not clear when the return would take place.

Saturday's developments were signs of the tricky political landscape Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon must navigate. Each came home from the summit to confront political headaches that could threaten their tentative moves toward peace.