Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal said yesterday that no serious talks are being held for the release of Gilad Shalit. Meshal told Lebanese daily al-Akhbar there were no negotiations because "Israel refuses to admit its attempts to free the soldier without a price have failed."

The paper does not say when its reporter interviewed Meshal, who said, "Now it is impossible to free the soldier for no price and even Israel knows that anyone who does that will be seen as a traitor."

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said yesterday that his country is still trying to bring about Shalit's release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners but sounded more hesitant than in earlier declarations that a deal was hours or days away.