Jerusalem  - The parents of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit have filed a legal petition to halt the lifting of the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the Jerusalem Post reported Sunday.

They hope the High Court of Justice will keep the government from ending the economic blockade and opening border crossings while their son remains hostage. Shalit has been held for two years since being captured by Palestinian militants.

The petition was delivered to the court on Saturday evening, the newspaper said.

Noam and Aviva Shalit's lawyers on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defence Minister Ehud Barak to withdraw a ceasefire deal with Hamas within 48 hours.

An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire took hold Thursday after months of indirect talks between the militant Islamist Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Israel.

The agreement is meant to end fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants, which increased when Hamas seized control of the coastal Strip by force last June. It is expected to see an easing of the blockade Israel imposed when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah forces lost Gaza to Hamas.

In order to reach the agreement, Israel gave up its initial demand that the truce include the immediate release of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, held captive by Hamas in Gaza for the past two years.

The family claims Olmert lied to his cabinet by allegedly saying Shalit's release was part of the deal. (dpa)