The United States urged both Israel and the Palestinians on Tuesday to continue to abide by their cease-fire that went into effect in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

The security situation in the Palestinian territories would top the agenda when U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in West Bank on Thursday, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"We believe that President Abbas is acting in good faith in taking these (security) steps, and we encourage both sides to continue to abide by the ceasefire," McCormack said.

Rice is due to accompany U.S. President George W. Bush to Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki and Jordan's King Abdullah II.

McCormack said a possible meeting between Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert could not yet be confirmed.

Rice called Olmert on Monday, expressing welcome to his speech that Israel was ready to release many jailed Palestinians in return for a soldier seized by militants in June. Olmert also offered to ease travel restrictions on Palestinians and free up frozen funds if violence against Israel ended.

After weeks of offensive in Gaza Strip, Israel accepted a ceasefire on Sunday in Gaza Strip where it had withdrew troops overnight Sunday, after Palestinian militant groups agreed to stop launching rockets from the strip at Israel.

Source: Xinhua