Cairo, 2 Nov. (AKI) - Ruling Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is demanding that Israel free 300-400 Palestinian women and minors before the release of Israeli solider Gilat Shalit - held by Hamas-linked militants for over four months - a senior Hamas official told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat. Imad al-Alami, head of a Hamas delegation currently in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to discuss the prisoner swap, said that only once this stage is completed will Hamas release Shalit in exchange for an additional 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The demand represents a toughening of the group's demands and appears to create new obstacles for securing a deal on Shalit's release. It also contradicts comments on Wednesday by senior officials involved in talks to free Shalit that signficant progress had been made in negotations in Cairo between Hamas representatives and an Egyptian team headed by intelligence chief General Omar Suleiman.

East Jerusalem newspaper al-Quds also reported on Wednesday that progress had been made, saying Shalit would be released in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. A total 640 Palestinian prisoners would be freed from Israeli jails - including women and children - less than 48 hours after the transfer of Shalit to the Egyptian authorities. An additional 630 prisoners - some of whom have been detained for over 20 years- would be freed one to two months later, according to al-Quds.