Deadline on captured Israeli soldier expires

    GAZA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A 24-hour deadline set by Palestinian militants for Israel to free hundreds of prisoners in exchange for a captured soldier expired on Tuesday with rejection from Israel.

    On Monday, three Palestinian militant groups set 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) Tuesday as the deadline for Israel to free Palestinian women and minors as well as 1,000 Palestinian, Arab and Muslim prisoners held in Israeli jails for information on the soldier captured in a raid on an Israeli outpost on June 25.

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    Israel given deadline to release Palestine prisoners as Gaza raid continues

    GAZA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian militants on Monday gave Israel 24 hours to start releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, as Israeli army resumed its ground operation in Gaza on Monday night.

    Early Monday morning, Hamas' military wing, one of the three groups holding Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, issued a statement giving Israel until 6 a.m. local time Tuesday to "start" releasing the Palestinian prisoners.

    If Israel does not comply, the Hamas military wing will "consider the soldier's case to be close," and "then the enemy must bear all the consequences of the future results," the statement said.

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