The movement said the Israeli government is unwilling to make any further concessions in negotiations to free Gilad in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Gilad has been in Hamas 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 Hamas.

The Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to make further compromises on a list of Hamas demands, while the movement in turn rejected the possibility of easing its demands for the release of prisoners involved in attacks against Israeli targets.

According to recent Palestinian statistics, there are 7,500 Palestinians, including 270 under the age of 18, currently held in 10 prisons and three detention camps in Israel and in the West Bank. There are also three prisoners who have been in jail for more than 30 years, and 315 prisoners who have been in jail for more than 15 years.

In December, it appeared that a deal to swap Gilad for Palestinian security prisoners was imminent. Negotiations, however, have continued to drag on without a resolution.

Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure from Gilad’s family, Israeli academics and public figures to step up negotiations for his release.

On Tuesday, Noam Shalit, Gilad’s father, asked the Palestinian people to use the month of Ramadan commencing this week to pressure Hamas’ leadership to complete what he described a “worthy and significant prisoner swap deal.”  Noam said during a press conference he held in East Jerusalem that a solution to the Palestinian prisoner problem and his son’s predicament would require compromises on both sides.

“Concessions are not a sign of weakness but power,” he said and noted that only the strong can yield. “Gilad’s situation violates the tenets of Islam which seeks mercy for prisoners,” he said.

Noam also used the occasion to draw attention to the agony suffered by the families of Palestinian prisoners.

He referred to the difficult conditions faced by Gazans since his son’s abduction and stressed that Gilad’s release could help improve the residents’ quality of life.