A German mediator was expected on Tuesday to give Hamas the Israeli response to a prisoner swap deal that would secure the release of a captured Israel soldier in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held marathon talks with ministers late into Monday night on whether to answer Hamas' demands, which include the release of senior militants responsible for attacks that killed dozens of Israelis.
| Shalit Affair |
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| Shalit meeting ends without decision / Attila Somfalvi |
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Israel's top ministers fail to reach decision on Shalit swap following lengthy meeting Monday night; ball is now back in Hamas' court. Earlier Monday, Shalit campaign activists vow to remain outside PM's Office at night to 'Help Bibi make right decision' |
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A source close to the negotiations, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Israel had passed on its decision, but offered no further details. The source said it was up to Hamas to decide whether it would accept the Israeli position.
Netanyahu's office put out a terse statement after late-night talks with cabinet ministers ended, saying only that the Israeli leader had instructed his negotiating team to continue efforts to bring home 23-year-old soldier Gilad Shalit.
Egypt and Germany have been mediating the prisoner exchange, which officials have said would set Shalit free in return for about 1,000 of the 11,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
The father of the captured soldier, Noam Shalit, said after being briefed by Netanyahu during a break from the ministerial consultations that began on Sunday: "I'm still not optimistic, but I'm also not pessimistic."
Netanyahu is also under pressure from the families of Israelis killed in terror attacks not to agree to their release.
Israeli media reported Netanyahu was intent on barring convicted killers from returning to homes in the West Bank, territory near Israeli cities, and that they might be sent instead to the Gaza Strip or foreign countries.
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