Switzerland's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it was "deeply concerned" about Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip and urged the country to respect humanitarian law.

Israel has sent tanks, troops, gunboats and aircraft to raid the Gaza area over the past week in a bid to press Palestinian militants to free a captured Israeli soldier.

In a statement, the ministry called for the rapid release of the kidnapped serviceman, but said Israel had an obligation "to respect international humanitarian law in the measures it undertakes to liberate the captured soldier."

There was no doubt that Israel had not taken the precautions required of it in international law to protect the civilian population and infrastructure, the statement said.

It said Israel's destruction last week of the main Gaza electricity power station and its attack on the office of the Palestinian prime minister were unjustified.

It also urged Israel to free a group of Hamas legislators, including eight ministers, who have been seized.

"The arbitrary arrests of a large number of democratically elected representatives of the people and ministers ... cannot be justified," the statement said.

Palestinian militants kidnapped 19-year-old Corporal Gilad Shalit on June 25 during a deadly attack on an Israeli army post near the Gaza border.

Palestinian militants set Tuesday as the deadline for Israel to meet their demand for Palestinian prisoners be released from Israeli jails.

However, Israel rejected the ultimatum, saying Israel would not give in to blackmail.

Source: Xinhua