Dekel – will he finalize deal?
Photo: Oren Agmon
Shalit deal: Mediator Dekel to stay in Cairo
Egyptian-mediated talks focus on names of prisoners required by Hamas
Talks on a swap deal that would see abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners continue in Cairo, as the sides are attempting to work out a prisoner exchange.
Ynet has learned that Israel's chief negotiator, Ofer Dekel, will remain in Cairo Wednesday night in an attempt to finalize a deal. Officials in Jerusalem declined comment on the report.
Dekel arrived in Cairo Tuesday and has led contacts vis-à-vis Hamas via Egyptian mediators. The talks have been focused on the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners demanded by Hamas as part of the deal.
About two weeks ago, Dekel presented a list of hundreds of prisoners instead of the original list.
Earlier Thursday, Shalit's father, Noam, called on Hamas to agree to a prisoner exchange deal before the new Israeli government is sworn in.
"I suggest that Hamas hurry up and close the deal with the current government under the existing terms, because they won’t be improved," Noam Shalit said Wednesday at a protest tent he had set up outside Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's official residence in Jerusalem.
