Israel rejects demands to free 1,000 prisoners

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel on Saturday rejected demands
from Palestinian militants who captured an Israeli soldier to
free 1,000 prisoners and end an assault on Gaza aimed at
winning his release.

The militants seized Corporal Gilad Shalit in a raid across
the Gaza Strip’s frontier last Sunday.

“Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has reiterated that there will
be no deals, that either Shalit will be released or we will act
to bring about his release,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman
Mark Regev, responding to the fresh demands.

A statement from the militant groups did not specify that
releasing the 1,000 “Palestinian, Arab and Muslim prisoners”
would be in exchange for Shalit’s freedom.

But a spokesman for the Hamas armed wing, one of the three
groups that captured Shalit, said that was what it meant.

Israel has said repeatedly that it will not consider
releasing prisoners in exchange for the 19-year-old tank
gunner.