The plan, for which no timeframe has been set, falls within the framework of Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and Egypt's agreement to help maintain security in the territory afterwards, Mena said.

It has been "welcomed" by Washington, London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid and "other capitals", which promised to help equip Palestinian forces to be able to secure Gaza following a withdrawal, the agency added.

It said Sharon had "agreed to stop violence, bombings and assassinations, on condition that the Palestinians remain committed" to an end to hostilities.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had "approved the Egyptian plan and said he was ready to start working immediately towards a ceasefire," according to Mena.

The news, which has not been confirmed officially, came after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak confirmed in an interview with Romanian television that his country was ready to train Palestinian forces to maintain security in the Gaza Strip.

"We are ready to train Palestinian forces in case of a withdrawal from Gaza," in order to help them to "secure" the area, Mubarak said in the interview, cited Monday in the government newspaper al-Ahram.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon bought more time to gain support for his Gaza pullout plan when he pulled out of a debate in parliament on his project, a day after postponing a vote among his cabinet.

A spokesman for the Knesset confirmed that the debate, which had been called by 40 members of the 120-seat assembly, had been put back until Tuesday of next week although two no-confidence motions would still be put to a vote yesterday.