Hamas leader: No talks on Shalit

Mahmoud Al-Zahar denies reports that Hamas, Israel engaged in talks aimed at securing release of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit; senior Hamas figure slams Israel, says it has failed to adhere to Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement

Roee Nahmias
Published: 07.25.08, 17:15 / Israel News

Despite recent reports that Israel and Hamas are engaged in talks on the release of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, senior Hamas figure Mahmoud al-Zahar says the negotiations are on hold.

"At this time there are no negotiations on a Shalit deal," al-Zahar said in an interview published by the Nazareth-based Kul al-Arab newspaper.

The Hamas leader said his organization did not hand over to Israel a list containing the names of prisoners it wishes to secure as part of the deal. Hamas conveyed its demands orally, via Egypt, Al-Zahar said

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"Everything you're hearing from the media, regardless of whatever they are Arab, Palestinian, or Israel is not true and is merely an attempt to test the waters," he said. "This issue is now facing new conditions and all the talk about it is false."

'We're facing ongoing Israeli siege'

Al-Zahar also denied that Israel sought to hold direct negotiation with Hamas and was rejected.

"There are no direct negotiations and there won't be any," he said.

Turning his attention to the recent prisoner swap with Hizbullah, al-Zahar said: "We are happy about every prisoner who is released, yet Hizbullah's conditions are better than ours. They have support, strategic depth, and other means."

The senior Hamas figure also criticized Hizbullah implicitly, saying that "we hoped that other issues, which others find difficult to discuss, such as the prisoners among 1948 Arabs (Israeli Arabs) as well as the prisoners who are Jerusalem residents, will be discussed." He added that Hamas was not coordinating its moves with Hizbullah.

Al-Zahar also slammed Israel for what he claimed was a failure to meet the Gaza Strip truce conditions.

"Israel is clearly not adhering to the terms of the lull agreement," he said. "The electricity supply is disrupted and we suffer from diesel fuel and electricity shortages…we are facing an ongoing Israeli siege."

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