Mashaal. Meeting in Egypt
Photo: AP
Suleiman, Conveys messages
Photo: AP
Shalit. Still held hostage
Photo: Noam Rotem
Shalit's release: Hamas awaiting Israel's response
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal to meet with Egypt's intelligence chief in coming days, receive Israel's answer regarding prisoner swap proposal
Hamas is waiting for Israel's response to the group's offer to accept the principle of a prisoner exchange deal and to ease demands regarding the proximity between the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit and the consequent freeing of Palestinian prisoners.
According to London-based Arabic language newspaper al-Hayat, quoting a Hamas official, the organization's politburo head Khaled Mashaal will receive Israel's answer to the proposal during a meeting with Egypt's Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman in Cairo in the coming days.
Although a date for the meeting has not been scheduled yet, sources say it may even take place on Saturday.
About two weeks ago, Mashaal and Suleiman met in Damascus and discussed possible solutions to the crisis in the Palestinian Authority, attempts to form a Palestinian national unity government, and the release of Shalit.
The Hamas source told al-Hayat that "there are Egyptian, Qatari and Syrian efforts to promote the formation of a viable unity government and to resolve the current crisis."
The issue of the Israeli soldier's release is expected to stand at the heart of Mashaal and Suleiman's conversation. The same source said that during their previous meeting, Mashaal told Suleiman that if Israel accepts the principle of the swap, Hamas would be able to show flexibility over the timetable of Shalit's and the Palestinian prisoners' release.
