GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Islamic Jihad on Tuesday warned it would capture Israeli soldiers to force the release of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike.

"A united military strategy is needed to abduct Israeli soldiers and exchange them with Palestinian prisoners," said Ahmad al-Mudallal, a senior Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza.

Speaking at a protest tent in northern Gaza erected to show solidarity with prisoners on hunger strike, al-Mudallal called on Egypt to pressure Israel to comply with its prisoner swap agreement with Hamas.

In Oct. 2011, Israel released over 1,000 Palestinians in exchange for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a deal brokered by Cairo.

Al-Mudallal noted that Samer Issawi, who was released in the deal, was rearrested in July 2012 and has been on hunger strike for 188 days.