The Palestinian news agency Ma'an quoted the official as saying that Konrad left Gaza Strip on Tuesday after a two-day visit. The official said the mediator held intensive talks with senior Hamas officials and discussed new ideas to advance the deal to free the kidnapped soldier. He refused to elaborate.

Shalit has been in Hamas captivity since he was abducted in a 2006 cross-border raid.

The official stressed that his movement would remain firm in its insistence that Israel free every prisoner that it demanded on a list it presented earlier in the negotiations. The official said that the ball is now in Israel’s court.

The Palestinians want about 1,400 prisoners released from Israeli jails in return for handing over Shalit, who was captured in a cross-border raid in June 2006.

Since December 2009, the German mediator and Egypt had failed to finalize the prisoners’ swap deal between Hamas and Israel due to the two sides’ differences.

Hamas wants Israel to free up to 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons in exchange for the release of Shalit, and the Palestinian movement has reportedly presented a list of 450 names in Israeli prisons.

Israel also objects to freeing Israeli Arab prisoners as well as several Hamas military wing leaders. Another issue yet to be settled is Israel's demand to deport almost 100 of the 450 “heavy” prisoners set to be released in the deal.

Meanwhile, Israeli security forces operating in West Bank cities arrested eight Palestinians early Thursday, Israeli and Palestinian security sources said.

Palestinian security sources said the arrests took place in the areas of Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho and Tulkarm. The sources added that the eight were arrested after Israeli security forces carried a thorough search of their houses.

Israeli media reported that the raids only targeted “wanted” Palestinian activists. The Israeli sources added that they were taken to unknown locations for questioning by the Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet. The sources said that four pipe bombs were found in one of the detainees' home and were detonated by sappers in a controlled manner.

The Israeli defense establishment says the almost daily arrest campaigns in Palestinian territories are part of its war against Palestinian armed groups.

According to the recent Palestinian statistics, there are 6,700 Palestinians currently held in 10 prisons and three detention camps in Israel and in the West Bank. There are 300 prisoners under the age of 18. Israel also holds 37 females and 10 members of the Palestine Legislative Council.