BEIRUT, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah on Saturday congratulated Hamas and the Palestinian people on the release of the Palestinian women detainees from Israeli prisons, the country's state news agency reported.

    The Lebanese Shiite armed group praised in a statement the Palestinians for "this great accomplishment through their strong resistance, determination and steadfastness in the face of the Israeli enemy."

    The statement added that "such an achievement denotes a great incentive for further heroic accomplishments by the resistance movement."

    Israel released 20 Palestinian women on Friday from prison in exchange for a video recording of an Israeli soldier held by militants in Gaza Strip.

    The exchange with Hamas Islamists who control the Gaza Strip was seen as a step towards a broader Palestinian prisoner release and freedom for the soldier, Gilad Shalit, which are priorities for both sides since his capture in a cross-border raid in June 2006.