Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quoted as saying Friday that he was prepared to negotiate a prisoner release with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in exchange for a captured soldier. "I told (Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak I am ready to release (prisoners) to Abu Mazen (Abbas). I am not ready to release prisoners to Hamas," the prime minister told the Yediot Aharonot newspaper in an interview. "I had several conversations with Mubarak on this subject. The only limitation I set was this - no negotiations with Hamas," Olmert said. "Even before the kidnapping, I promised Mubarak that when I met with Abu Mazen I would release prisoners. This is the model that we are talking about," Olmert said, talking about "difficulties" which he refused to detail.