Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, announced on Saturday that one of its militants managed to escape from an Egyptian prison and arrived at his home in Gaza.

The movement said in a leaflet emailed to reporters that Ayman Noofal, who has been in an Egyptian prison for three years had managed to flee and had arrived at his home in Gaza on Saturday evening.

"Ayman Noofal kissed the soil of Gaza after being kidnapped in the Egyptian prisons for three years," said Hamas statement.

Noofal was arrested in Egypt three years ago. He is one of the prominent Hamas militants and member of the movement's armed wing al-Qassam Brigades.

Hamas has been asking the Egyptian authorities to free him. It had organized rallies and protests in Gaza calling for his immediate release.

A number of Palestinian prisoners in Egyptian prisons managed to escape and arrived in Gaza following more than ten days of unrest that dominated the country calling for Hosni Mubarak to step down.