Hamas demands guarantees for Shalit deal
Senior organization member tells Ynet no breakthrough made in negotiations for kidnapped IDF soldier's release. 'The Palestinians are waiting for an Israeli confirmation on the identity and number of the prisoners who will be released and want to know how Israel will implement its part in the agreement,' he says
"The Palestinians are waiting for an Israeli confirmation of the identity of the prisoners who will be released and of the number of prisoners who will be freed."
"The second part of the deal will begin with Shalit making his way to Egypt. If he reaches Egypt and Israel decides to violate its commitment, will someone be able to guarantee that this will not happen? This is why we demand clarifications regarding the guarantees as well."
The source added that apart from the Egyptians, other elements have taken a part in the negotiations between the parties, although Egypt still holds a central role in the talks.
Prisoner release criteria relaxed
Corporal Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas on June 2006, has been held captive in the Gaza Strip since then. A ministerial committee has recently been appointed to decide on relaxing the prisoner release criteria.
The committee members – Vice Premier Haim Ramon, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Minister Ami Ayalon, Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter and Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann – decided to ease the criteria for the sake of Shalit's release.
In the earlier stages of the negotiations, the Palestinian demanded the release of 450 prisoners, 350 of them at the first stage and 100 more after Shalit is handed over to the Egyptian authorities. Israel objected to the required number of prisoners and the demand to release Hamas prisoners "with blood on their hands."
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, speaking at a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations on Sunday, said that he was not optimistic on the issue of Gilad Shalit.
"Unfortunately, I cannot share the optimism regarding Gilad Shalit," Olmert said.
Turning his attention to a recent report by German weekly Der Spiegel regarding the possibility that IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, abducted by Hizbullah, will be declared dead, Olmert said that as long as Israel does not have any proof, it will continue to assume the two reservists are alive.
Ali Waked contributed to this report