Egypt says Hamas phones bugged by Israel

Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reports Hamas delegation to Cairo warned that Jewish state's intelligence monitoring phone calls to Gaza, Damascus

Roee Nahmias|Published: 06.23.08 , 12:03

Egypt has warned members of a Hamas delegation to Cairo that the Israeli intelligence is monitoring their phone calls to Damascus and Gaza, the London-based Arabic-language al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Monday.

Israel and Hamas are expected to launch a series of indirect talks in the Egyptian capital in about two weeks in order to agree on a deal for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

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According to a Palestinian source quoted by the paper, Egypt will house both missions in the same hotel, but in separate wings, and the Egyptian mediators will travel between them until an agreement is reached for the release of Shalit in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The paper reported that the decision to launch negotiations between the two sides was made following talks held by Hamas representatives and the head of the Defense Ministry's Security-Diplomatic Bureau, Major-General Amos Gilad (Res.) with Egyptian intelligence chief General Omar Suleiman.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to leave for Egypt on Tuesday for a meeting with President Hosni Mubarak. Ofer Dekel, tasked by the prime minister to oversee the captives' issue, is also scheduled to visit Cairo.

Olmert is expected to demand that Egypt hold intensive negotiations for the kidnapped soldier's release. Over the weekend, sources at the Prime Minister's Office tried to lower expectations that Shalit would return to his home within weeks. "This process is just be resumed. It will take time."

The Shalit family filed a motion Sunday demanding the High Court of Justice order the State to halt opening the Gaza crossings until such time their son is returned, or they receive concrete assurances that his release in imminent.

The State said in its reponse to the petition that" in accordance to the High Court's order, head of the Defense Ministry's Security-Diplomatic Bureau Major-General Amos Gilad (Res.), met with Noam Shalit on Sunday. The meeting was two hours long and at its conclusion, Maj.-Gen. Gilad promised to periodically brief the Shalit's on any developments made in their son's case."