Covert meetings reported
Photo: Reuters
Ma'an: Hamas inmates met on Shalit deal
Unconfirmed Palestinian report says Israel allowed jailed Hamas operatives to discuss prisoner swap
Israel allowed prisoners belonging to Hamas to hold a meeting in jail to discuss their organization's position on the prisoner swap deal intended to secure the release of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the Palestinian Ma'an news agency reported.
The unconfirmed report asserts that the majority of meetings between prisoners took place at Ketziot Prison, and revolved around Hamas' decisions on the Shalit deal.
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The meetings were held by Hamas parliament members, former ministers, and senior military wing operatives according to the report.
The report remains unconfirmed by Hamas officials or the Prison Service, but Ynet has learned that the Palestinian Authority is behind the report's publication. Officials from the PA's Ministry of Prisoner Affairs were said to have publicized the meetings.
Ma'an's report did not mention the position held by the Hamas-affiliated detainees regarding the organizations response to an offer by Israel that included 325 of the 450 terrorists demanded by Hamas in exchange for Shalit.
