Amos Gilad - Optimistic
Photo: AFP
Al-Zahar - Out of hiding
Photo: AP
Report: Chance for progress in Shalit case
Amos Gilad, Israel's representative in Cairo talks, presented to cabinet members, defense establishment recent developments in indirect contacts that show headway in Hamas truce talks, alongside progress in release of Gilad Shalit
Israel's
delegate to the Gaza ceasefire talks in Egypt, Amos
Gilad, reported a sense of optimism over indirect talks with Hamas in
a briefing to senior cabinet members Saturday.
During the session at Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, Gilad presented recent developments in the talks with Egyptian mediators revealing a chance for headway to be made in contacts for a long-term truce deal with Hamas and the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as well as senior defense officials .
No official report of Gilad's statements was made, though it appears that progress has been made in the effort towards a ceasefire deal with Hamas that includes the opening of Gaza border crossings and the cessation of Hamas military build-up. Reportedly, the Rafah crossing will only be opened at a later stage and will apparently be under international oversight.
Israel stipulated that opening the border crossings be entirely predicated on revisiting efforts to release Gilad Shalit. According to Arab sources, Israel is prepared to open the crossings in order to ensure that an agreement is arranged between Egypt and Hamas. However, as of yet it is unclear whether such an all-encompassing agreement will include the cessation of weapons smuggling and Hamas' build-up.
In the coming days, Israel will submit its response to the recent developments via Amos Gilad, with another round of discussions slated to be held between the Egyptian mediators and Hamas delegation. Despite estimates that negotiations are progressing, Jerusalem is unwilling at this point to commit to a ceasefire agreement or that such talks will result in Shalit's return home.
Earlier Saturday, one of Hamas' top figures appeared in public for the first time since Israel launched its offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers six weeks ago.
Mahmoud al-Zahar led a Hamas delegation to a new round of ceasefire talks in Egypt. Apparently fearing Israeli assassination, al-Zahar had been in hiding during the three-week offensive and even after a tentative ceasefire took hold in mid-January.
On the Egyptian side, al-Zahar briefly spoke to reporters. He said Hamas would be flexible about who will take charge of Gaza's reconstruction.
