Special report: Crisis between Israel and Palestine

    GAZA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, an armed wing of the Palestinian ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), urged Israel on Monday to respond to Palestinian militants' demands to release prisoners.

    A spokesman for the Brigades who identified himself only as AbuObeida told Xinhua on telephone that the demands of the three Palestinian militant groups including the Brigades which held an Israeli soldier captive were clear.

    "Israel has to release Palestinian children under 18 and women before getting any information on the soldier," said Abu Obeida. "Then Israel has to free 1,000 prisoners held in its jails and halt its aggressions against our people."

    Abu Obeida said that Israel had not given a response yet to the demands set by the Brigades, the Popular Resistance Committees and the Islamic Army in a statement issued earlier in the day.

    The three groups, which mounted a deadly attack on an Israeli army post on June 25 and snatched the 19-year-old Gilad Shalit, set 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) Tuesday as the deadline for Israel to free Palestinian women and minors and 1,000 Palestinian, Arab and Muslim prisoners, warning of unspecified consequences if Israel failed to do so.

    Abu Obeida refused to specify the threat in the statement which said if Israel did not meet the demands the militants would regard "this case as closed."

    But he said, "We have all options open if Israel does not respond to our demands."

    Abu Obeida also questioned the efficacy of diplomatic efforts to mediate between the two sides in order to find a peaceful solution to the Gaza crisis.

    "What is the significance of these mediations while Israel continues aggression and escalation of violence against our families?" he said.

    Israel holds about 9,000 Palestinians in its prisons, including about 530 women and children.

    Israeli troops continued a broad ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Monday, their first major operation there since Israel pulled out forces and settlers from it last summer after 38 years of occupation.

    Israel has so far rejected a prisoner swap, insisting on the unconditional release of Shalit. Enditem