Hamas source: Shalit talks speeding up
Shin Bet chief, PM's emissary expected to continue negotiations in Cairo, aimed at securing kidnapped soldier's release, till evening hours. Sources in Palestinian organization, relatives of Palestinian prisoners optimistic, say talks in high gear
Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's emissary, Ofer Dekel, arrived in Cairo on Saturday evening for a round of talks with senior Egyptian officials in a bid to reach an agreement.
Officially, Hamas leaders refused to confirm or deny that any progress had been made in the Shalit deal, in light of the Israeli reports. However, relatives of Palestinian prisoners expected to be released by Israel as part of the agreement told Ynet they were under the impression that the talks were in high gear.
The family members of a senior prisoner who is on Hamas' prisoner list said that it was still unclear whether the prisoners jailed in Israel would be transferred to the Gaza Strip or to the West Bank if freed. The relatives said they had not received any information saying that the prisoners would not be returned to Gaza and would be deported to another country.
On Saturday it was reported that Hamas had demanded that the number of prisoners expelled to the Gaza Strip or abroad would be minimal, and had even demanded to receive these prisoners' consent first.
450 prisoner likely to be released
Israel has imposed a heavy blackout on the details of the negotiations, but foreign reports reveal that the deal is likely to include the release of some 450 prisoners with blood on their hands.Should the deal be implemented, its first stage will see Shalit turned over to Egypt. He will only be transferred to Israel later.
Noam Shalit, the kidnapped soldier's father, received the information on Diskin and Dekel's trip to Cairo from an authorized source, but did not appear encouraged by the new information.
"We know what everyone else knows, and we're still unclear about the significance of what's going on," said Shalit, who was spending his seventh day in a protest tent set up outside the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem. "Beyond the fact they're going, I heard nothing. But it ain't over till it's over."
As to reports of progress, he said, "In this tango there are always fears that we are moving one step forward and one step back, or two steps forward and then three steps back."
He once again called on Hamas to accept the proposed deal, saying that the impending narrow right-wing government would not improve the deal's chances.
"In any event, we urge and suggest that Hamas accept the conditions and finalize the deal, because they won't be receiving a better deal from the Netanyahu- Lieberman government," he stated.
Gilad Shalit was kidnapped into the Gaza Strip 994 days ago
