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The head of the Palestinian militant group Hamas says his group is committed to its cease-fire on Israeli targets - but adds that the group's patience is limited.

Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin says Hamas will not compromise in its demand that Israel release all the Palestinian prisoners it holds. Hamas and other major militant groups have made the prisoner release a key condition for continuing with the cease-fire, now in its 10th day.

Israel has announced plans to release about 400 of the estimated 6,000 Palestinians in its custody.

Sheikh Yassin made his comments to reporters Wednesday after talks with an Egyptian delegation in Gaza City. The Egyptians are meeting with Palestinian militant groups in a bid to bolster the cease-fire, which has led to significant decline in Israeli-Palestinian violence since it was announced.

Meanwhile, Israel radio says the United States will ask Israel to release additional prisoners in a bid to ease pressure on Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. The report says President Bush's envoy to the region, John Wolf, will press the U.S. request at a meeting Wednesday with Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz.

Mr. Abbas threatened to resign Tuesday after receiving intense internal criticism for not taking a tougher stance on the prisoner issue.

The criticism came from members of Fatah, the mainstream Palestinian faction that Mr. Abbas and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat co-founded in 1965. In a separate gesture Tuesday, Mr. Abbas turned in his resignation to Fatah's Central Committee, which rejected it immediately.

Palestinian political observers describe Mr. Abbas's moves as efforts to gain political support.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian man Wednesday during an operation in the West Bank to arrest his brother, who the Israeli military says is a wanted militant.

Israel says soldiers opened fire after being shot at during the operation in the city of Jenin.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and Reuters.