JERUSALEM, June 26 (UPI) -- Hamas Monday offered to provide information on a kidnapped soldier if Israel freed all Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails.
"The Israeli occupation will receive no information about the soldier unless it promises to immediately release all female prisoners, a joint statement from Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and the Army of Islam said.
The Arabic newspaper Al Hayat, in London, reported two Israel soldiers were killed and one, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, kidnapped at a checkpoint near where Israel, Gaza and Egypt meet in an operation planned by the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committee. However, the group denied any role in it, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Ynetnews said about 100 women and 313 minors are among the 8,500 security prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
In Sunday's Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would not negotiate for the release of Shalit and was not going to exchange Palestinian prisoners for him.
Olmert said the kidnapped corporal was alive and was not believed to be seriously injured.
