Haniya calls for deal over Shalit

Cpl Shalit has been held for a year

Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has said he would like to bring to an end the continuing captivity of the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.

Cpl Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants a year ago.

Mr Haniya said he wanted the Israeli soldier freed in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in an "honourable deal".

Last week, militants linked to Hamas issued what appeared to be the first audio message from Cpl Shalit.

"As the case of [BBC correspondent] Alan Johnston has ended, we hope that the case of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit may end too in an honourable deal that would secure the release of our hero prisoners from Israeli jails," Mr Haniya told a news conference.

He added there was a chance for an agreement if the Israelis used "logic and reason" to end what he called the "humanitarian suffering" of Palestinian prisoners.

"The ball is in the Israeli court," he said.

Negotiations

In last week's apparent message, Cpl Shalit called on Israel to meet his captors' demands for the release of large numbers of Palestinian prisoners.

But Israel has said it is not prepared to release the prisoners.

About 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, some without charge.

Egypt has been trying to broker the soldier's release, but the negotiations have been suspended because of unrest in Gaza.

Hamas' military wing claimed responsibility for the capture of Cpl Shalit, as did other militant groups including the Army of Islam, the group which kidnapped Alan Johnston.

But the Army of Islam later said Cpl Shalit was being held exclusively by Hamas.

The soldier's capture triggered a large-scale Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip.