Almost 500 terrorist prisoners in the Shikmah prison in Ashkelon, north of Gaza, and in the HaSharon prison, north of Tel Aviv, said they will refuse to eat on Sunday in order to pressure Israel to release them.
Israel agreed two months ago to release 900 Arab security prisoners as part of the Sharm el-Sheikh summit agreements earlier this year. The government freed about 500 prisoners, but has refrained from releasing the remainder until the Palestinian Authority (PA) takes stronger action against terrorism.
Israeli security forces recently arrested several freed terrorists who planned to attack Jews. Israel realeased them only after they signed an affidavit promising to refrain from terrorist activities.
Thousands of supporters of the Islamic Jihad, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Hamas terror groups rallied Saturday in Gaza. Carrying weapons and grenades, they said they would kidnap Israeli soldiers and civilians in order to press for the release of prisoners. The Syrian-based secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad addressed one of the rallies by telephone hook-up.
Hamas terrorists recently have escalated rhetoric in favor of renewing large-scale terrorist attacks.
"The lull for Hamas is a tactic of resistance," an Egyptian-based Hamas official recently told a conference in Cairo. He added that even if Hamas continues to increase its power in the PA, it will not give up violence unless Israel withdraws at least to its pre-1967 borders.
In a separate development, Israel is to release nine Jordanian prisoners Sunday as a gesture to King Abdullah. Israel has refused Jordan's request to free others who were directly involved in attacking Israelis.
Israel agreed two months ago to release 900 Arab security prisoners as part of the Sharm el-Sheikh summit agreements earlier this year. The government freed about 500 prisoners, but has refrained from releasing the remainder until the Palestinian Authority (PA) takes stronger action against terrorism.
Israeli security forces recently arrested several freed terrorists who planned to attack Jews. Israel realeased them only after they signed an affidavit promising to refrain from terrorist activities.
Thousands of supporters of the Islamic Jihad, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Hamas terror groups rallied Saturday in Gaza. Carrying weapons and grenades, they said they would kidnap Israeli soldiers and civilians in order to press for the release of prisoners. The Syrian-based secretary-general of the Islamic Jihad addressed one of the rallies by telephone hook-up.
Hamas terrorists recently have escalated rhetoric in favor of renewing large-scale terrorist attacks.
"The lull for Hamas is a tactic of resistance," an Egyptian-based Hamas official recently told a conference in Cairo. He added that even if Hamas continues to increase its power in the PA, it will not give up violence unless Israel withdraws at least to its pre-1967 borders.
In a separate development, Israel is to release nine Jordanian prisoners Sunday as a gesture to King Abdullah. Israel has refused Jordan's request to free others who were directly involved in attacking Israelis.