Haniyeh to abductors: Don't kill IDF soldier

"We stress the need to continue the political and diplomatic efforts and negotiations, and not to close the door" on Corporal Gilad Shalit, Haniyeh told members of his cabinet after armed factions pulled out of talks with Egyptian mediators.

"The government ... is still calling for preserving the life of the captured Israeli soldier and for him to receive good treatment," Haniyeh added.

The cabinet, missing a third of its members after Israeli forces detained them last week, was meeting publicly for the first time since a pre-dawn Israeli missile strike on Sunday wrecked Haniyeh's office in Gaza.

Three armed factions, including the Hamas armed wing, seized Shalit in a cross-border raid on June 25.

Immediately after the soldier was kidnapped, the Palestinian government called on Shalit's kidnappers not to hurt him and not to execute him. However, the Palestinian government said that Shalit must be freed as part of a prisoner exchange deal.

Palestinian Authority officials noted that Haniyeh will try and bring an end to the affair and work for Shalit's release, but Haniyeh also believes that the affair should be solved in exchange for releasing prisoners, while Israel objects a prisoners exchange deal.

Meanwhile, Hamas warned Israel of hurting Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh or senior members of his government. In a statement, the movement says that "it will be a dangerous move by Israel, which will be playing with fire."

"Any Israeli assassination attempt will be considered a 'turning of the table' and an unreasonable adventure by Israel, the consequences of which it will be unable to bear. Such an assassination will stir up emotions against the occupation and will take the conflict to a critical escalation," the statement said.

Palestinian groups involved in the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit said Tuesday that they will not kill the IDF corporal, despite the expiration of an ultimatum issued Monday. The ultimatum demanded that Israel release Palestinian prisoners by 6 a.m. Tuesday.

"Some think that the groups who conducted the operation (kidnapped Shalit) can kill him, but our Islamic principles stipulate that prisoners should be respected," Abu al-Muthana, spokesman for the Islamic Army told AFP.

Olmert: We'll return soldier

The Islamic Army said earlier that no further information would be given on the captive's fate after Israel refused to meet a deadline on Tuesday to free prisoners.

"Discussion is closed," Said Abu al-Muthana. "Whether he will be killed or not killed, we will not disclose any information about the fate of the soldier."

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a Be'er Sheva conference Tuesday:"This is a long war, which requires a lot of patience and necessitates infinite restraint more than once. You have to know how to control yourself, you have to know how to answer back."

The prime minister promised: "We will win and we will return Galid Shalit to his parents, to his family, to his loved ones, to us."

Gilad's father Noam Shalit, Tuesday morning (Photo: Avihu Shapira)

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to negotiate Shalits' release continue. Palestinian sources told the London-based Arabic newspaper al-Hayat that talks were held on a deal to free the hostage, in the framework of which Shalit will be transferred to the hands of Egypt or France in exchange for tangible guarantees prisoners will be released.

According to the same sources, if the abductors agree to the deal, Shalit will he handed unharmed to Egypt or France, and in return both states would vouch for an Israeli commitment to free Palestinian prisoners, halt its activity in the Gaza Strip and withdraw its forces from the area. Israel will also be required to remove its embargo on Gaza and put an end to targeted killings.

In exchange, the Palestinian factions would cease all Qassam fire at Israel. The sources said they believe Egypt would agree to this offer.

Reuters contributed to the report