Hamas: Awaiting Egyptian move on Shalit
Organization's deputy politburo chief Moussa Abu Marzouk says Cairo back to playing central role in prisoner exchange deal with Israel
Hamas Deputy Politburo Chief Moussa Abu Marzouk on Sunday said the organization was waiting for an Egyptian move "in the very near future" to advance a prisoner exchange deal that would secure the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
"The German mediator's failure allows Egypt to resume its central role in mediations," said Abu Marzouk, adding that Egypt has gone back to fulfilling the role it started when Shalit was first captured.
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"We aspire to reach a deal and release hundreds of prisoners. Our demands are legitimate, and the deal will not be completed until they are met," the Hamas official noted.
Two weeks ago, an Egyptian source told London-based Arabic-language al-Hayat newspaper that his country has returned to mediate between the sides. "We have retaken the reins on the issue and will work to obtain the best conditions as part of the changes that need to take place," the source was quoted as saying.
Over the weekend, German media outlets reported that a draft prison exchange agreement has been finalized, stipulating the release of some 1,000 Palestinians prisoners in return for Gilad Shalit.
According to the reports, Hamas' military wing Izz al-Din al-Qassam were the ones holding up the deal by casting a veto on the proposal.
On Friday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a joint statement calling for the release of the kidnapped soldier. Germany has been mediating between Israel and Hamas for the past two years.
In April, Abu Marzouk said in an interview with al-Hayat daily newspaper that Gerhard Konrad, the German mediator working to secure the release of Shalit, has failed in his attempts to obtain an agreement between the two sides and will retire from his post.
"The German mediator has failed and there is no way back,' Abu Marzouk noted, adding "he has not been successful in securing a prisoner exchange deal, and now a breakthrough is no longer possible."
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