JERUSALEM - Israel has handed over the bodies of 91 Palestinian militants to the government in the West Bank in an effort to induce President Mahmoud Abbas to renew peace talks.

All 91 were killed either in suicide bombings or other attacks on Israeli targets. At least one of the attacks dated back to the 1970s.

The Palestinian official in charge of Thursday's transfer, Salem Khileh, says Israeli officials handed over the bodies to Palestinian liaisons in the Jordan Valley.

Eighty bodies were then transported to Ramallah, and 11 to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

Later Thursday, Abbas is to appear at a rally honouring the militants in Ramallah.

Abbas has not signalled the gesture would persuade him to return to talks. AP