Palestinian rivals of Hamas and Fatah movements met again at the Egyptian embassy in Gaza city on Sunday to assess the situation a day after they reached a ceasefire.

Abdel Hakim Awad, a spokesman for Fatah movement, told reporters in Gaza that the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal has being taken hold as planned and no violations were found.

The second meeting discussed ways of reinforcing the ceasefire on the ground and to return "personal possessions" that were confiscated during six days of bloody fighting between the two rivals who share one government, said Awad.

He added that the two sides would also continue the implementation of the final agreement that called for withdrawing gunmen from streets, removing checkpoints and displacing snipers from high roofs.

Sources at the Egyptian embassy said Hamas and Fatah have exchanged about 30 hostages and would release the other captives in the day.

So far, at least 50 Palestinians were killed in the worst ever strife between the two factions where four previous ceasefire deals failed to take hold or stop the feud.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2007)