Ruling Islamic Hamas movement's leaders in Gaza said on Tuesday that it refuses to include captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in any truce deal might be reached with Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had informed Egyptian intelligence chief Omer Suleiman earlier that the release of captured corporal should part of any truce deal might be reached with Hamas.
"Linking the release of Shalit with reaching a truce is an indirect Israeli escape from the Egyptian initiative to reach a truce," Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas movement's spokesman in Gaza told reporters.
Shalit was captured by three Gaza militant groups led by Hamas armed wing in an attack on an Israeli army base southeast of the Gaza Strip in June 2006. Hamas wants to exchange Shalit for 1500 prisoners held in Israeli jails.
"Hamas movement won't keep waiting for the Zionist response to the Egyptian initiative of a truce, and it will use all possible means in order to confront the daily aggression and lift the blockade," said Abu Zuhri.
He added that Israel "is not serious in dealing with the Egyptian efforts, and Hamas movement had offered all possible facilities to succeed the Egyptian efforts, but it seems that the occupation is not interested in this effort."
Source: Xinhua
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