Khalil Al-Hayyeh, a Gaza-based Hamas lawmaker, said in a press statement "the Israeli intelligence was weak." He added that his movement had managed to hold Shalit for years despite many attempts by forces to retrieve him. 

Al-Hayyeh said Palestinian collaborators informed Hamas security interrogators of continued attempts by Israeli intelligence to obtain information about Shalit.

"All their attempts will continue to fail until he is released willingly when Israel releases long-term Palestinian prisoners," he added.

A Hamas official said recently that if Israel knew of Shalit's whereabouts in Gaza Strip and could not gain his release, it would bomb the location to kill him. This would endanger the lives of Palestinians living in the vicinity, the official said.

Al-Hayyeh added that negotiations on prisoners swap in exchange with Shalit had been completely stalled for months. "We haven't had one serious meeting on Shalit in two months," he said. "The price we are demanding is well-known, but the Israelis are adamant and dragging their feet." He stressed that Shalit won't be free until the group's demands were met.

Shalit has been in Palestinian captivity since he was abducted in a 2006 cross-border raid. Egypt and Germany have been mediating for a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the Hamas-rulers of the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure from Shalit's family, Israeli academics and public figures to step up negotiations for the release of Shalit.