Israel will free 400 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday as promised by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at a Feb. 8 summit with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, the army said Wednesday.

The decision, which was made following an Israeli cabinet approval on Sunday, is aimed at boosting Abbas ahead of a planned Israeli pullout from all Gaza and part of the West Bank, said the army.

Abbas succeeded the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the Jan. 9 election on a platform of non-violence. He has talked militants into a de facto truce with Israel.

The first batch of 500 Palestinian prisoners was released on Feb. 21 after Sharon and Abbas declared a ceasefire at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in Egypt, at which Sharon agreed to free 900 prisoners.

However, the release of the left 400 was put on hold due to what Israelis said a Palestinian failure to rein in militants.

Those to be released on Thursday will include none convicted of attacks incurring Israeli deaths or casualties, the army said.

Therefore, the Israeli decision to release the left 400 met a wary Palestinian response. Palestinians criticized the release as a unilateral move since Israel didn't consult with them on who would be released.

Israel has repeatedly asserted that no prisoner with "blood on his hands" will be released, referring to those involved in attacks that caused Israeli casualties.

But the Palestinians have demanded the release of all 8,000 prisoners, deeming the imprisoned militants as national heros against an Israeli occupation.

Source: Xinhua