Israeli and Palestinian negotiators reached an agreement to resume negotiations after the two sides failed to reach a compromise on the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials said.

The announcement by Abbas, the Palestinian president, came after the United States, the European Union and the United Nations released a joint statement calling on Israel to “immediately” cease hostilities.

Abbas has said he is open to a “cessation of hostilities” if Israel withdraws completely from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The Palestinians and the Israelis have been negotiating since July and reached a series of agreements, including the release of Israeli prisoners held in Israeli jails and the opening of the border crossings between the two countries.

However, the agreement has yet to be signed by all sides.

The Israeli-backed Palestinian Authority (PA) is seeking to return the West Bank to the pre-1967 lines and the Israeli government is opposed to any deal that would re-give it to the Palestinians.

Israel, meanwhile, has repeatedly rejected any return to the 1967 lines and has said it would not recognize any Palestinian state in the territories.