Abbas optimistic siege may be lifted

Cairo: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that he is confident that the siege against Palestinians would be lifted as the government gains support abroad.

Abbas held talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Saturday to discuss ways to end violence in Gaza and on how to resume foreign aid to Palestine.

Abbas arrived in Cairo from a European tour aimed at ending aid cut-off to the government. The United States and Europe refuse to support the Hamas-led government.

"There is a possibility of the lifting of the siege on the Palestinian people, it will come gradually," Abbas said.

"We didn't feel that there are problems with the European countries, either in terms of the lifting of the financial siege or the political siege."

Meanwhile, four Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities said the four were trying to install explosives near the border.