Khalil al-Hayya
Khalil al-HayyaIsrael news photo: Gaza web.net

Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya says the Shalit-for-terrorists deal proves kidnapping works, and he promises more abductions. The Israeli Cabinet late Tuesday night approved freeing kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit for 1,027 terrorists and security prisoners.

Al-Hayya, a Gaza legislator and a senior academic and political figure, told the Chinese news agency Xinhua, “Our prisoners can only be released through this way. The release of prisoners will lead to a bigger victory and will break forever the siege that had been imposed on the Gaza Strip for five years.”

Last week, he urged Palestinian Authority terrorists to kidnap more Israeli soldiers to gain the release of all prisoners, including terrorists, in Israeli jails.

"The one and only solution is more resistance against the Israeli oppression, and more abduction of Israeli soldiers and settlers," he told the Al Quds satellite television network.

Meanwhile, de facto Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh is preparing a mass celebrating to welcome home terrorists to be freed by Israel in exchange for Shalit, whose psychological and physical conditions are not known.

"It is the historic moment of great victory," Haniyeh told a spontaneous victory rally in Gaza Tuesday night.