Egypt has demanded that Hamas immediately release captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit to avoid a worsening crisis in the violence-battered Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials and Arab diplomats said Tuesday. The Egyptian demand came in a "strongly worded letter" From Egypt's powerful intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to the Syrian-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, they said.
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The letter also demanded Hamas cooperate fully with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in forming a national unity government, a step that has been stalled by the group's refusal to form an administration that recognizes Israel.
The message reflected increasing impatience with Hamas by Egypt, which has been mediating for months, trying to reach a deal on a prisoner swap for the release of Shalit, who is being held by Hamas-allied terrorists in Gaza.
"The leadership has received the Egyptian letter today and is studying it," said a Hamas official close to Mashaal.
"They are studying it carefully before they send back their response," he told the Associated Press from Damascus.
Israeli Channel 10 television reported earlier Tuesday that the letter carried a warning that if Shalit was not released by the end of the month Israel would launch a series of deep incursions into Gaza aimed at Hamas organizational targets and at high ranking Hamas figures. The Hamas official in Damascus said the letter contained no such warning and "no ultimatum what so ever, but its content was quite clear."
Another Palestinian official in Cairo said Suleiman's letter was "strongly worded."
"He told them enough is enough and they should release the soldier immediately," he said.
Arab diplomats said the Egyptian letter also urged Mashaal to cooperate fully with Abbas in his effort to form a new Palestinian coalition government that will replace the current Hamas-led cabinet.
"Egypt is pressing Hamas to release the soldier and remove the obstacles that hinder forming the government," Said one diplomat.
The Arab diplomats said Egypt told Abbas that it will press ahead with its effort to solve the standoff over the Israeli soldier.
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