Special report: Crisis between Israel and Palestine

    GAZA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian captors holding an Israeli soldier in Gaza said on Tuesday that they will double their demand to release the hostage in response to what they called Israeli delay to achieve a prisoner swap deal.

    Osama al-Muzini, a member of Hamas leadership, said that Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and the Islamic Army "will increase the number of Palestinian prisoners" they demand be freed in exchange for Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit.

    "This comes because the occupation rejected to carry out what was agreed to," al-Muzini, who is close to the file of the soldier, said in an interview with independent Maan news agency.

    "The Israeli rejection requires a higher price and those who recoiled have to pay the price," he stressed.

    Meanwhile, he pointed out that the issue of Shalit, held captive since late June, stalled these days because Israel did not reply to a fresh Egyptian offer to exchange prisoners.

    "When the Egyptian mediators reopen the case, we will not accept what has been accepted in the past," said al-Muzini.

    The militant groups have been demanding Israel release Palestinian patients, women, youngsters and about 500 prisoners sentenced to life in Israeli prisons in exchange for Shalit.