Wednesday, July 5 2006 10:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jerusalem: Palestninians' ruling Hamas has urged Israel to halt the military offensive in Gaza Strip, saying the attacks might endanger the life of an Israeli soldier kidnapped last week by Palestinian militants.

"The (Israeli) army's operation in Gaza endangers the life of your soldier because an artillery shell can hit and kill him," Hamas representative in Tehran, Abu Osaman Abdel Moaata, was quoted as saying by 'Ynetnews.'

The Hamas official even indicated that the 19-year-old soldier, Gilad Shalit, who was captured in the Gaza Strip on June 25 during an attack on an army post might never be released.

The Hamas' military wing and two smaller militant groups with ties to it -- the Popular Resistance Committees and the Army of Islam -- have claimed responsibility for the abduction of the Israeli soldier.

Following the abduction, Israeli forces have carried out regular punishing raids on the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas official also met various Iranian student unions on Monday. The unions alleged that Israel was exploiting the World Cup soccer games in Germany to continue its aggression against the Palestinians.

The Iranian student representatives were quoted as saying that their members will not wait for Muslim countries to take action and were ready to travel to the territories to fight Israel.