RAMALLAH: The Hamas' armed wing, Ezzedine Brigades, yesterday threatened to capture more Israelis if the Jewish state does not accept the Palestinian demands in the prisoner swap talks.



The Brigades spokesman, Abu Obaidah, warned in a press statement "the inflexibility of the occupation on (kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad) Shalit's issue will keep the choice of kidnapping Zionist soldiers open." He praised Wednesday's prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah during which Israel freed five Lebanese prisoners and the remains of around 200 fighters in exchange for the remains of two Israeli soldiers, adding: "The swap proved that big victories can be achieved by resistance."

Meanwhile, the interior minister of dismissed Hamas government, Said Siyam, said that his movement will not accept any other mediator in the prisoner swap talks with Israel than Egypt. Siyam said, "There is no alternative to Egypt as a mediator in the upcoming swap of Shalit."

He was referring to the Israeli soldier Hamas holds as hostage since 2006. Hamas also said that it had decided to keep the case of the prisoner exchange top secret, a spokesman for the movement said. Ayman Taha told reporters that, "this case (prisoners' swap) has been closed by the movement, and there is a decision not to speak about it to the press."

He added that, "the decision was made for several reasons." Taha declined to reveal what the reasons are.

- With input from Hisham Abu Taha