The Hamas group’s armed wing Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades has given Israel 24 hours to respond to the demands of hunger strikers inside the Israeli prisons.

"We warn the Israeli enemy of ignoring the just and legitimate demands of our prisoners," Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the al-Qassam Brigades, said in a recorded speech broadcast by Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV on Tuesday evening.

"If the enemy does not respond to prisoners’ demands, we will update the lists of the prisoner swap deal, by adding 30 prisoners on the lists for each day of delay,” he added.

Abu Ubaida did not unveil any details on the prisoner swap deal he mentioned in his speech.

In April of last year, al-Qassam Brigades released photos of four Israeli soldiers believed to have been captured by the resistance group.

Hamas refrained from disclosing, however, whether the soldiers shown in the photo were dead or alive.

Hamas has consistently refused to provide any information about captive Israelis without first exacting a price for it.

In 2011, Hamas and Israel conducted a prisoner swap in which Hamas released captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in return for the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.

Abu Ubaida also called on residents of the West Bank to “take to the streets on Wednesday to show solidarity with the hunger strikers in the Israeli prisons".

On April 17, more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel began an open-ended hunger strike to demand more prison visits, better medical care and improved treatment of female inmates.

The hunger strike is being spearheaded by longtime Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti, who has been held captive for more than a decade.
According to Palestinian figures, Israel is currently holding more than 6,000 Palestinians -- including 57 women and 300 children -- in 24 detention centers across the country.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinians take part in a rally in Gaza City to show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails April 27, 2012. REUTERS

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