Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Friday that reaching a deal on the release of captive Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit is "complex and difficult," and will require much additional work to be reached, Army Radio reported.

In comments published Friday in the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat, Haniyeh said Fatah and Hamas had already embarked on the path of forming a unity government, and that he hoped the outstanding disagreements between them would be resolved in ongoing negotiations in Gaza.

Asked whether Hamas would engage in negotiations with Israel if a Palestinian unity government is formed, Haniyeh replied that it is still too early to say.

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Abu Mujahid, a spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees militant group, said two weeks ago that Shalit would be released only when Israel freed 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

"We are prepared to keep him for several years more, as long as our demands are not met," he said.

He added that Shalit is in a good state of health and that he is being treated according to Muslim standards for treating prisoners of war.