Palestinian ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) slammed on Sunday U.S. President George W. Bush's remarks calling for the release of an Israeli soldier held hostage by Palestinian militants.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a written statement that Bush's remark was "a bid to topple the Palestinian government and overturn the facts".

Bush said earlier on Saturday that freeing the Israeli soldier was the first step and the key to ending the Gaza crisis.

In the statement, Abu Zuhri accused the U.S. administration of "supporting terror and Israeli war crimes."

Israel launched a military operation dubbed "Summer Rains" on Wednesday against the Gaza Strip in an effort to free Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was captured by Palestinian militants in an attack against Israeli army position in southeast Gaza-Israel border a week ago.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert refused the

Palestinian militant groups' demands to release Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israeli prisons in exchange for Shalit. He ordered the military use "all its power" to get back the hostage.

Source: Xinhua