A frustrated U.S. secretary of state demanded Thursday action from recalcitrant Israeli and Palestinian leaders, saying it was time for them to demonstrate leadership in the crisis-hit peace talks.

But John Kerry acknowledged in Algiers that negotiators from the two sides had made "progress" in lengthy overnight talks in Jerusalem, also attended by the Americans.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas signed a request to join several U.N. agencies on Tuesday, in a move that could derail a U.S. push to revive faltering peace talks with Israel.

"The Palestinian leadership has unanimously approved a decision to seek membership of 15 U.N. agencies and international treaties, beginning with the Fourth Geneva Convention," Abbas said on television after signing the demand during a meeting at his Ramallah headquarters.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meet Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday as he sought to rescue his faltering Middle East peace bid, amid fears Israel may scrap plans to free Palestinian prisoners.

Flying in to Jordan from an interrupted visit to Rome, he first held talks with King Abdullah II as he pressed his bid to "continue to narrow the gaps" between the two sides, his spokeswoman said.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Amman Wednesday, interrupting a visit to Italy to meet with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas as a deadline looms for reaching a peace deal with Israel.

Kerry's surprise trip aims "to continue to narrow the gaps between the parties", State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Tuesday, a tacit acknowledgement of the difficulties bogging down the negotiations.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas warned Saturday of action if Israel failed to release the fourth and final batch of veteran prisoners as agreed under a U.S.-backed deal.

"We are awaiting the release of the fourth batch of prisoners, as agreed upon with the Israelis through the United States," he told members of the central committee of his Fatah movement.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas demanded in talks with U.S. President Barack Obama that Israel free key Palestinian prisoners, including Marwan Barghuti, a Palestinian official said Thursday.

Earlier this month, Abbas said Palestinians will not agree to extend peace talks with Israel beyond their April 29 deadline without Israel releasing more prisoners beyond the fourth and final tranche planned for later this month.

Top U.S. diplomat John Kerry urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday to work hard to narrow huge differences with the Israelis at a "pivotal" time for peace talks.

Palestinian and Israeli leaders have been locked in talks the U.S. secretary of state fought hard to launch in July after a three-year hiatus, but as negotiations have faltered, Israel has kicked up more obstacles to a peace deal that would end decades of conflict.

Thirteen people were arrested on Sunday as Gaza security forces broke up a demonstration backing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of key talks at the White House, organizers said.

The rally was organized by Abbas' Fatah party which is the dominant faction in the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, but a minority in the Gaza Strip which is ruled by the rival Islamist Hamas movement.

An Israeli minister on Sunday said Washington's top diplomat was "wrong" for pressuring Israel in peace talks, a day before Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas visits the White House.

His remarks came two days after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Gaza's Islamic Jihad announced Thursday that an Egyptian-brokered truce had been restored following a brief but intense confrontation a day earlier when Israeli warplanes pounded the Strip after heavy cross-border rocket fire.

But the truce was being tested after the Israeli military reported than a rocket had been fired from Gaza early in the evening, bringing to four the total over the course of the day.