The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas which controls the Palestinian territory of Gaza today accused Israel of blocking an agreement for the exchange of prisoners, a spokesman for the group reported. In the meanwhile Israel said it will not accept "any price" for swapping prisoners, Reuters reports.
Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed that Tel Aviv has not responded to an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. The later was held captive in Gaza since the summer of 2006.
"The division within the Israeli government blocked the deal," Zuhri said, adding that Hamas is still open to negotiations for the release of Palestinians imprisoned in beans.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not confirm any official agreement, but he noted the continuation of negotiations.
According to Israeli sources, Corporal Gilad Shalit, 23, would be freed in exchange for 450 Palestinians. Israel Reka network reports that "representatives of bereaved families from the Almagor Terror Victims Association met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening and urged him not to agree to a prisoner swap. They called on the prime minister to act for Shalit's release through other means."
The Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, said recently that his group remains committed to the liberation of all Palestinian territories from Israeli occupation.
Haniyeh said the growth and strength of Hamas, despite the three-week military offensive launched by Israel in December 2008 and January, killing more than 400 killed thousand and five thousand 300 wounded.
In the meanwhile "Hamas says the German mediator brokering a deal for the release of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit will arrive in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Reuters quoted an official close to the negotiations as saying that Israel had asked the mediator to put off his meetings in Gaza, because it wants to modify its response to the proposed prisoner swap. The Jerusalem Post reported that the Prime Minister's Office would not confirm if Israel had requested a postponement of the mediator's Gaza visit," Reka reports.
Written by Armen Hareyan
Based on Reuters, Reka
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