Hamas leaders in Damascus
Photo: AP
Source: Mediator to receive Hamas' response to Shalit deal offer
Following consultations in Damascus, Islamist group source tells Al-Hayat German mediator expected in Gaza Sunday to receive its response to Israel's prisoner exchange proposal
The German mediator is expected to arrive in Gaza on Sunday to receive Hamas' official response to Israel's latest offer for a prisoner exchange, the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat quoted a Hamas source as saying.
On Thursday a Hamas delegation returned to Gaza following consultations with the Islamist group's exiled leadership in Damascus.
If finalized, the deal would see Israel release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for captive soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped into Gaza on June 25, 2006.
The source told the newspaper that in any case the prisoner swap negotiations with Israel would continue.
Hamas sources have said the Islamist group would not accept the swap offer due to Israel's refusal to include a number of so-called "heavy" Palestinian prisoners in the deal, along with Jerusalem's demand that some of those freed will be deported to Gaza or abroad.
On Tuesday Hamas' official website published the names of four of the "heaviest" prisoners Israel is refusing to release: Former Tanzim leader in the West Bank Marwan Barghouti, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Secretary-General Ahmed Saadat and two senior commanders in Hamas' military wing - Ibrahim Hamed and Abdullah Barghouti.
