Hamas will deliver to the German mediator its final response to Israel\’s offer for a prisoner exchange within days, the group\’s political leader Khaled Meshal said on Sunday.
Hamas has not accepted Israel\’s counter-offer for a prisoner swap but indirect negotiations will continue, a senior Hamas official said.
Senior Hamas officials on Tuesday said they would continue to discuss an Israeli proposal for a prisoner exchange deal that would free Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, after Al-Arabiya television reported the Islamist group had rejected the swap.
The Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, reiterated on Wednesday that securing the release of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity was of the utmost importance to Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu\’s inner Cabinet has given Israel\’s negotiating team the go-ahead to continue talks for the release of soldier Gilad Shalit.
Benjamin Netanyahu\’s inner Cabinet has met four times in two days to discuss a prisoner swap to free Gilad Shalit.
Hamas leadership in Gaza is interested in accepting Israel\’s latest offer for a prisoner swap to release a captured Israeli soldier, an Arab newspaper reported.
A captive Israeli soldier will not not be freed until Israel releases hundreds of Palestinians from its jails, Hamas said.
Amidst the extensive media coverage of a potential prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, in which Israel would hand over hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for one captured Israeli soldier, it is easy to loose sight of who holds the cards.
The Israeli version of \”Big Brother\” was an easy TV ratings winner in Israel over a film about Gilad Shalit\’s family trying to secure his release.
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