Palestinians mourn a 16-year-old victim of Middle East violence earlier this week

Just before the talks started, three Israeli soldiers were wounded in a bomb blast. As the negotiations got underway, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy was killed.

He was shot between the eyes. Palestinians blame Israeli troops.

And three Palestinians died just hours after the talks following a gunbattle with Israeli forces in the town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

Twenty-four people are known to have been injured. Israeli tanks are reported to still be in the area.

But whether or not the ceasefire sticks will not be decided in airport conference rooms, but on the backstreets of the West Bank.

Whatever George Bush may want and however far the international community may see the truce as a new beginning and a reason for hope, many Palestinians do not welcome the accord.

They have little confidence that these meetings will bring about the kind of changes they seek, and the word on the street is that fighting will resume.

The truce may be set an instant challenge. Palestinians are planning demonstrations on Friday in the West bank and the Gaza Strip to mark the anniversary of the intifada.

Some time was bought on Wednesday, no more and no less.

But it may be just the breathing space that Washington needs.