Beirut  - Angry Lebanese and Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip clashed with Lebanese security forces near the US embassy north of Beirut on Sunday, as the Palestinian group Hamas confirmed a one-week truce in Gaza.

The Lebanese police used tear gas and water cannons when the demonstrators broke through barbed wire placed just a few meters from the US embassy located in Awkar, 15 kilometres north of Beirut.

At least six demonstrators were wounded in the clashes.

The police initially managed to disperse the crowd, but the demonstrators regrouped and continued their protest near the embassy.

Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt  - French President Nicolas Sarkozy Sunday called on Israel to withdraw from Gaza, a day after it issued a unilateral truce which took effect early Sunday.

"There is no need to stay in Gaza. It will offer nothing for Israel's security but will shake the power of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas," Sarkozy told world leaders who are meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm-al-Sheikh to discuss means of establishing a lasting peace in Gaza.

Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and Sarkozy were jointly chairing Sunday's summit.

Sarkozy extended support to the Palestinian President who was also attending the summit.

Gaza City - Palestinian militant factions in the Gaza Strip, including Hamas, said Sunday they agreed to a ceasefire with Israel, but gave the Jewish state one week to withdraw its forces from the

Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt  - World leaders met in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm-al-Sheikh on Sunday to discuss means of establishing a lasting peace in Gaza, as sporadic violence continued despite a unilateral Israeli truce that took effect early Sunday.

Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy were chairing Sunday's summit.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will reportedly attend, as will German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, and Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

Brussels  - The European Commission on Sunday welcomed the unilateral ceasefire announced by Israel and called on Hamas to refrain from violence so that human suffering in Gaza could end.

The ceasefire was indispensable, said External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The stop in violence was also necessary to allow the EU and other donors to help the people in Gaza.

"Our priority is a permanent peace," she said, adding that she hoped that the crossings into Gaza would be opened again soon and that all Israeli soldiers would be withdrawn from the Gaza Strip.

Tel Aviv/Gaza  - A unilateral ceasefire declared by Israel in the Gaza Strip was "fragile" and Israel would respond "without hesitation" if its troops in the salient were attacked, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday morning.

The premier made the comments at the weekly cabinet meeting, following attacks on Israeli forces, and rockets from the Strip at southern Israel, hours after the ceasefire went into effect at 00:00 GMT Sunday (2 am local time.)

"We have operational freedom to respond if terror organizations continue attacks," media reports quoted Olmert as saying.