JERUSALEM, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- A senior Israeli official has said that commodities transferred to Gaza may be reduced to pressure on Palestinian Hamas movement into advancing negotiations about kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, local website Ynet reported Tuesday.

    Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said in an interview with Ynet that the matter would be discussed and possibly carried out in the coming weeks.

    Since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on June 19, which calls on both sides to stop cross-border violence and requires Israel to ease its blockade on the strip, commodities transferred to Gaza have increased by 15 percent and fuel supply has risen from 2.2 million liters to 2.9 million.

    The Israeli defense establishment currently halts the transfer of commodities for 24 or 48 hours whenever rockets are fired at Israel from Gaza.

    Over 20 Qassam rockets have been fired towards southern Israel as well as a large number of mortar shells after the ceasefire.

    "We will probably have to decrease the amount of goods going in, thus putting more pressure on Hamas, which is purposefully refraining from taking steps to promote negotiations, including absenting itself from meetings with Egypt," Vilnai was quoted as saying.

    However, some Israeli officials have expressed fear that the decrease in goods may cause the renewal of Qassam fire.

    Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups captured Shalit in 2006 and demanded, through Egyptian mediators, to free 1,000 prisoners in addition to all jailed women, children and the old in exchange for the Israeli Corporal.