MOSCOW, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - Hamas, which recently released video footage of an Israeli solider held captive for over three years, has threatened new kidnappings to ensure the release of its members, Israel's Haaretz daily reported.
The Palestinian Islamic group has handed over a video proving that Gilad Shalit, captured in a cross-border raid in June 2006, is still alive. In response, Israel has released 19 Palestinian female prisoners.
"We will continue our efforts to kidnap soldiers in order to free every one of our prisoners in Israel," Haaretz quoted Hamas leader Khaled Meshal as saying during a speech in Damascus.
"I say to [Israel Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and to the leaders of the enemy, we understand the language that you understand... We in Hamas managed to take Shalit captive and hold him for more than three years and use him as in order to mount comprehensive negotiations for the release of prisoners," Meshal said.
"We can take another Shalit captive, and another Shalit, and another Shalit."
The video has been widely seen as a sign of progress in long-running international negotiations to secure the release of the Israeli corporal.
In the video, Shalit holds up a newspaper dated September 14, and reads out a message saying: "I want to send my regards to my family and tell them that I love them and miss them and yearn for the day of my return."
