Jerusalem ? The Israeli Cabinet voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to release 90 Palestinian prisoners in an effort to shore up the moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in his power struggle with Islamic Hamas militants.

But the size of the release disappointed the Palestinians at a time when the two sides are feverishly trying to move peace talks into high gear.

A government spokeswoman said the prisoners could be freed by Tuesday evening.

Israel holds roughly 11,000 Palestinian prisoners, many imprisoned in the past seven years of conflict. Because so many Palestinians have relatives imprisoned in Israel, releases are seen as an effective way of swaying Palestinian opinion in favor of moderation after more than a decade of failed negotiations drove many to support Hamas, which wrested control of the Gaza Strip in June.