Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that he was keen on ending all acts of violence on the Palestinian territories and the problem of the Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinian militant groups.

Abbas, who arrived in the Egyptian Mediterranean city of Alexandria on Friday for a one-day visit to Egypt, made the remarks at a press conference after his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

"So far nothing has been reached to solve the problem of the captive soldier," said Abbas, adding that he would continue efforts to guarantee the safety of the soldier and resolve the current crisis.

Asked about the Hamas proposal of teaming up with Hezbollah to negotiate terms to release of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners in Israel in exchange for the three captive Israeli soldiers, Abbas said that the two situations were too different to coordinate a release.

"We have our own rules and our brothers in Lebanon have theirs, " Abbas said. "Our hearts and our minds are with Lebanon and we refuse all what the Lebanese people are being subjected to."

Israel pressed on with its one-month-old military offensive in the Gaza Strip in a bid to rescue Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants on June 25, and halt Palestinian rocket attacks. At least 160 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched the offensive on June 28.

Israel also continued its military operations in Lebanon. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel erupted when Hezbollah guerillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others during a July 12 cross-border attack.

Israel has insisted on its demand for the unconditional release of the three soldiers, rejecting a prisoner swap as demanded by Palestinian and Lebanese militants.

Egypt has long brokered between Israel and the Palestinians over conflict.

Source: Xinhua