Hamas denies Israeli soldier to be freed soon

GAZA, July 27 (Reuters) The armed wing of the Hamas militant group today dismissed comment from President Mahmoud Abbas, during a visit to Rome, that a solution could be imminent to the case of a captured Israeli soldier.

The Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades was among three factions that captured Corporal Gilad Shalit on June 25 in a cross-border raid from Gaza. Israel rejected demands for a prisoner swap and launched an offensive that has killed 148 Palestinians.

''Nothing has changed in the case of the Israeli soldier,'' said Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades.

''The file remains in the hands of the resistance factions and not in the hands of any politician even if that politician is Abu Mazen,'' Ubaida said, using Abbas's nickname.

Abbas had spoken to reporters in Rome after talks with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

''I told the prime minister that as far as the question of the abducted Israeli soldier is concerned efforts are undergoing continuously that lead us to believe that the solution will be imminent,'' he said through an interpreter.

''I hope the soldier is in good health and that he can soon return to his family. I would like to remind you that there are 10,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails and we hope that they too can return to their families,'' he said.

REUTERS RL PM2306