Captors of Israeli soldier say he is alive and well

GAZA, June 25 (Reuters) Militant groups holding an Israeli soldier seized a year ago said today he was alive and well and would remain a captive until Israel freed thousands of Palestinian prisoners.

''A year has passed since we abducted the Zionist soldier (Gilad) Shalit and we are determined and able to keep him in captivity for years to come unless the Zionist enemy complies with our demands,'' said Abu Mujahed, spokesman of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC).

''(Shalit) is alive and is in good health,'' he added.

PRC gunmen along with militants from Hamas and the Army of Islam tunnelled into Israel from Gaza and seized Shalit on June 25, 2006.

Shalit made contact with the outside world last September when his captors delivered a letter he had hand-written to his family via an Egyptian intermediary.

Abu Mujahed said the factions must celebrate the first anniversary of Shalit's abduction by kidnapping additional Israeli soldiers so they could be exchanged for more than 10,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails.

''The soldier Shalit will never be freed before we see our prisoners freed and among us,'' he said at a rally attended by dozens of families of Palestinians held by Israel.

Negotiations brokered by Egypt have been suspended in recent months amid Palestinian internal fighting and Israeli-Palestinian violence.

REUTERS SKB BD1507