Berlin  - Efforts to mediate between Israel and Hamas over the situation in the Gaza Strip are continuing and Egypt is awaiting a response from both sides President Hosny Mubarak said while on a visit to Berlin Wednesday.

Egypt had taken cognizance of Israel demands for an end to weapons smuggling and to rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, Mubarak said after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"Our standpoints are united to end the suffering of the Palestinians and the rise in aggression, so that an atmosphere can be created for talks between Israel and the Palestinians," the Egyptian president said.

Merkel applauded Egypt's humanitarian and political efforts in Gaza.

Referring to the Annapolis conference on the Middle East called by US President George W Bush in November last year, she said: "Germany believes there is no alternative to Annapolis.

"Everything must be done to make use of this limited window of opportunity, and we are absolutely of one mind with Israel on this," Merkel said.

Mubarak welcomed a German initiative to hold a conference on June 24 aimed at supporting the training of Palestinian security forces.

He expressed the hope that the conference would also lend political support to the current talks aimed at allowing an "independent Palestinian state to arise," referring to a "new horizon" possible in the region.

Merkel said the foreign ministers of all Arab states had been invited and that the conference should be seen as "a firm signal of our intent to support the Palestinians." (dpa)