An Israeli cabinet panel decided on Sunday to free 26 Palestinian prisoners over the next few days under a deal that led to a resumption of U.S.-brokered peace talks last month after a three-year hiatus, Reuters quoted an official statement as saying. The prisoners would be the first of four groups totalling 104 that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet last month agreed to release in a step aimed at renewing negotiations. The decision comes three days before a scheduled second round of Israeli-Palestinian talks being held in Israel and the West Bank.