|
|
Hamas official says talks with Israel on prisoners' swap "frozen" |
 |
+ |
- |
19:42, July 31, 2007 |
Islamic Hamas movement leader in Gaza Osama al-Mzeini said on Tuesday that talks over a prisoners'' swap between his movement and Israel "are frozen."
Al-Mzeini denied earlier Israeli media reports saying that Israel had recently rejected a new offer presented Hamas to finalize the swap. Yet the report also said Israel had asked Egypt to renew its mediation to finalize the swap.
"Hamas movement is still sticking to its conditions to free Shalit. We are not willing to make any more concessions. Instead we may raise the ceiling of our demands," said Al-Mzeini.
Hamas was studying the idea to raise the number of prisoners it wanted to be freed for releasing Shalit, he said, adding that since Shalit was captured, the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails had increased to 12,000.
In June 25 of 2006, Hamas armed wing al-Qassam Brigades and another two armed groups, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and the Army of Islam, kidnapped Gilad Shalit, an Israeli corporal from a military base in southeastern Gaza Strip.
[1] [2]
|
|
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article