Around 10,000 workers have gone on hunger strike

The strikers are demanding an increase in pay.

The strikers, numbering about 10,000 have staged intermittent short strikes in the past three weeks to press for their demands.

Wolfensohn talks

The hunger strike comes as Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas held talks on Saturday with Middle East quartet envoy James Wolfensohn on the economic future of the impoverished Gaza Strip after Israel's pullout.

"President Abbas will discuss with Mr Wolfensohn ways of rebuilding infrastructure destroyed [by Israel] in the Gaza Strip following the withdrawal," presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said.

The meeting will focus on the recent G8 aid package

The meeting is also likely to $3bn financial aid package pledged to the Palestinian Authority by the Group of Eight industrialised nations at their summit earlier this month.

About two-thirds of Gaza's 1.3 million Palestinian residents
live in abject poverty in one of the most densely populated places on the planet.

Security forces protest

Tens of Palestinian Special Forces have demonstrated in Tulkarim to protest against a decision by the Palestinian Interior Ministry to merge them with the National Security apparatus.

The Palestinian Authority has drawn up a plan to restructure the security agencies and merge them into three bodies.