GAZA, Sept. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Thirteen Palestinian militant factions and groups agreed on a cease-fire and ending all armed attacks from the Gaza Strip against Israel, a senior Palestinian official said Tuesday.

    Ibrahim Abu Najja, head of the Palestinian Following-Up Committee consisting of the 13 groups, told reporters that the agreement was reached at a Monday's meeting of the committee.

    Islamic Jihad proposed the initiative, calling all militant groups to follow suit of Hamas, which has announced to halt rocket fire against Israel, Abu Najja said.

    The agreement will be compulsory to everyone and a formal statement will be issued later Tuesday, the official said, adding that it will be signed by representatives of the 13 factions.

    The 13 factions have agreed to stop parading arms in public at the behest of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

    Violence has resurged in the Gaza Strip two weeks after Israel completed its withdrawal of soldiers and settlers. Palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets at Israeli targets, drawing renewed Israeli air strikes in response.

    Hamas said the rocket fire was in retaliation for a blast in aHamas rally in Gaza last week, which killed 19 Palestinians.

    Israel denied any role in the blast, and the Palestinian National Authority also hinted the blast may be an accident when explosives were mishandled.

    The incident prompted Abbas to urge militant groups to stop parading arms in public. Enditem