| Hamas yesterday threatened to start kidnapping Israeli soldiers to demand the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners if Israel does not free them under a three-month truce. Its political leader Nizar Rayyan urged the Palestinian Authority and Arab mediators to press Israel to release all Palestinian prisoners. Israel has freed some prisoners but has said it will not release any who were involved in attacks on Israelis. "We will get you (prisoners) released under the truce if possible," Rayyan told 3,000 supporters at a rally in Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, referring to the ceasefire announced by militant groups on June 29. "But if the truce turns out not to have been the way to release you, we will return to (the strategy of) kidnapping Jewish officers and soldiers until the last Palestinian prisoner is freed," he said. Protesters waved Palestinian and Hamas flags and held posters of jailed militants. |