Three Palestinian militant groups on Monday conditioned the return of an abducted Israeli soldier on the release of female and younger Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

"The occupation (Israel) will not get any information about their missing soldier unless they promised to quickly release all female Palestinian prisoners and the children under 18," said a statement issued by Hamas' armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and the Islamic Army which claimed to carry out a predawn raid on an Israeli army post near a southern Gaza border crossing on Sunday.

Eight Palestinian gunmen infiltrated the Israeli army post via a tunnel dug under the border, killing two soldiers and abducted another. At least three Palestinian gunmen were killed in the battle.

The coordinated raid prompted Israeli tanks incursion into the Gaza Strip for the first time since the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip last September.

The statement came in response to the mediation efforts by various sides for the soldier's release as well as the Israeli threat to launch large-scale military operation in Gaza against Palestinian militants.

However, spokesman of the Islamic Army Abu Muthana told reporters Monday that the Israeli soldier would not be returned " as a free present".

About 8,500 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails.

Source: Xinhua