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Corporal Gilad Shalit. Egypt says Hamas turned down an offer to free Shalit in exchange for 900-1,000 Palestinians. (Archive) Last update - 06:08 03/10/2006 Egypt: Hamas turned down offer to exchange prisoners for Shalit By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters Hamas turned down an Israeli offer to free between 900 and 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for captured Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Gheit said Monday. "Egypt succeeded in securing a swap deal with Israel to free [Palestinian] women, children, elders and those who have been serving long prison terms in exchange for the soldier," Abu Gheit told Al Arabiya television. "A deal that could have guaranteed freeing 900-1,000 prisoners - but sadly they have decided to keep holding him [Shalit]," said Abu Gheit. Advertisement The negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a potential prisoner exchange has so far failed to make progress on any of the major issues. "It is obvious to both sides that there will be a prisoner exchange," sources close to the negotiations told Haaretz, "But there is no concrete understanding regarding how many prisoners will be released in exchange for Shalit, who they will be, and when." "We have not even begun the real negotiations on implementing the deal, on the mechanism which will bring about the release of Shalit and the Palestinian prisoners," said the sources. "We are still at the stage [of discussing] principles." Egypt is continuing its mediation efforts despite reports that it was no longer involved in the negotiations due to tensions between Hamas and the Egyptian government. Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman recently warned Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal that, should Shalit not be released by the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on October 22, Meshal would bear responsibility for a large-scale Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. The warning was issued in a letter sent from Suleiman to Meshal, and the fact that it was leaked is evidence of a crisis in the talks between Hamas and Egypt. Also Monday, Shalit's captors, the Hamas-linked Palestinian Resistance Committees, warned Israel against large-scale military action in the Gaza Strip. "If the Zionist enemy decided to enter Gaza in a large-scale raid, the file of the soldier may get closed again," said Popular Resistance Committees spokesman Abu Mujahed. "If they enter Gaza and kill people or even if they eliminate all Gazans, they will never regain their soldier," said Abu Mujahed. IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz told Israel Radio on Sunday that Israel is considering stepping up military operations in the Gaza Strip aimed at halting rocket fire on borderline Israeli communities, including "continued and deeper ground action." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Slamming Obama McCain uses speech to AIPAC to criticize Obama for willingness to meet U.S. foes. Soldier kidnapping Three Israeli Arabs charged with planning to kidnap, kill soldier.   1.   why not all of them 21:14  |  *TALCKBACK OBSERVER* 02/10/06   2.   Arabs a Very Confused & a Mixed-up Race 21:20  |  Anand 02/10/06   3.   A call to the humane readers of the Talkback 21:23  |  Shlomzion 02/10/06   4.   hey olmet 21:29  |  vik 02/10/06   5.   Who`s minding the store? 21:31  |  Daniel 02/10/06   6.   Who`s minding the store ? 21:52  |  Daniel 02/10/06   7.   Hamas is right, Egypt is wrong 21:53  |  Egyptian 02/10/06   8.   Let`s Get Solana!!!! 22:01  |  Brant 02/10/06   9.   Value 1000:1 too high a premium... 22:14  |  Robert 02/10/06   10.   THE ARABS END-UP ALWAYS SAVING US FROM OUR OWN STUPIDITY 22:18  |  HaDaR 02/10/06   11.   Israel should execute the prisoners till we get him back 22:21  |  Sam Weinstein 02/10/06   12.   Hamas cares not about the Palestinian people 22:28  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/10/06   13.   Reward and Punishment 22:37  |  Henry Simmons 02/10/06   14.   Hamas doesn`t want to free Shalit 22:39  |  Hastaroth 02/10/06   15.   With some good political backing 22:40  |  Joseph E . 02/10/06   16.   #1 It si too simply for the confused and vile Hamas brains 22:41  |  Haham me Bat Yam 02/10/06   17.   HAMAS will NEVER stop 23:00  |  DAVID KOHEN 02/10/06   18.   Fair Exchange 23:08  |  Michael 02/10/06   19.   tea party 23:14  |  tea man 02/10/06   20.   Hamastan 23:24  |  Brod 02/10/06   21.   apathy 00:03  |  gershon 03/10/06   22.   apathy 00:13  |  gershon 03/10/06   23.   War is Hell and Stupid 00:14  |  Tony Anthony 03/10/06   24.   Why not one? I agree with Michael 00:19  |  Australit 03/10/06   25.   I`m sick & tired of reading this type of news 00:43  |  Rob 03/10/06   26.   David Kohen and Haaretz talkback 00:44  |  Omar 03/10/06   27.   The time has come to leave all prisoners 00:44  |  gus 03/10/06   28.   tea party 00:45  |  gershon 03/10/06   29.   WOW! WTF? 1000 prisoners? 00:45  |  G.S. 03/10/06   30.   Tony anthony 00:48  |  Omar 03/10/06   31.   Australit, also on the other side there is criminals. 00:52  |  gus 03/10/06   32.   He`s dead 00:54  |  BradL 03/10/06   33.   Australia and Mike? Why not one? 00:57  |  Bernie 03/10/06   34.   Mark Lincoln 01:12  |  Danite 03/10/06   35.   gamas rejected Shalit prisoner exchange 01:24  |  Shmuelshachor 03/10/06   36.   I Love Your Logic 01:28  |  Tony 03/10/06   37.   isreali response if gilad is dead? 01:29  |  vik 03/10/06   38.   IT TELLS US THEY`LL SACRIFCE ALL TO GET ONE OF US 01:31  |  DAVID P 03/10/06   39.   #22..Bernie 01:33  |  Nemesis 03/10/06   40.   My sympathies to the soldier`s family 01:46  |  Gina 03/10/06   41.   Hamas cares less about the Pals 02:32  |  The Warrior 03/10/06   42.   to 22 03:25  |  * TALKBACK OBSERVER* 03/10/06   43.   Now Israel may deny the report 04:00  |  Lebanese in Canada 03/10/06   44.   What Pals are doing? - Kidnappings, Suicide bombings, Tunnelings. 04:22  |  Vittirio 03/10/06   45.   shalit 04:51  |  colin elkon 03/10/06   46.   Lebanese in canada 05:01  |  John 03/10/06   47.   HAMAS does not want peace,simple as that.. 05:46  |  PETER SM 03/10/06   48.   Real Lebanese in Canada (from Sidon) صيدا 05:58  |  Marwan 03/10/06   49.   Let him go 06:26  |  Real Lebanese 03/10/06   50.   ONLY ENOUGH FOR SHALIT`S LEG 06:31  |  indrajaya 03/10/06   51.   Swap frozen on who will be freed first 06:49  |  Simon 03/10/06   52.   Step Up The Pressure 06:54  |  B.Dawning 03/10/06   53.   To # 11 Sam, This is Nazism Copy of Haulocost 06:58  |  Linda 03/10/06   54.   #20 Brod, Hamas in located in Occupationstan 07:08  |  Shlomo 03/10/06   55.   #21 Gershon, Ask Israel to announce the reasons 07:17  |  Stevenson 03/10/06   56.   to # 10 I agree with you with addition 07:23  |  Simon Mohammed 03/10/06   57.   #17 David, You can stay in Gimto 07:31  |  Linday 03/10/06   58.   Real Lebanese, 48 07:33  |  Shlomzion 03/10/06   59.   #36 Tony Spoke ILL-Logic 07:39  |  Simon 03/10/06   60.   To 47 Peter The matter is deeper!!! 07:44  |  Louis 03/10/06   61.   gershon 07:49  |  tea man 03/10/06   62.   # 52 step out of vienna the nice place 07:59  |  Shlomo 03/10/06   63.   Vitterio # 44 be fair look deeper 08:18  |  Robert 03/10/06   64.   Marwan -- Well spoken! 08:18  |  Gina 03/10/06   65.   #47 PETER SM 08:19  |  maoriboy 03/10/06   66.   Prisoner Swap an insanity 08:29  |  Yossi 03/10/06   67.   #11 to Sam Weinstein 08:32  |  maoriboy 03/10/06   68.   Israeli and Hamas -- prisoner exchange 09:09  |  Andrea Barnes 03/10/06   69.   #66 Yossi 09:26  |  maoriboy 03/10/06   70.   Yossi #66 Not ration of (1000 To 1) But read carefully 13:06  |  Abu Samra 03/10/06   71.   #54 Shlomo 13:42  |  Brod 03/10/06   72.   Israeli Solider 15:02  |  Suzanne 03/10/06   73.   #62 15:17  |  Barbara 03/10/06   74.   #70 15:25  |  Barbara 03/10/06   75.   legality of prisoners 06:05  |  Gregor 31/03/08   76.   Schizo Hamas 18:27  |  Sabra 31/03/08   77.   Indrajayah 50 18:30  |  Sabra 31/03/08   78.   to 76 19:39  |  Zahal 03/06/08

Read & React Housing Min.: Olmert backed move to build new homes in E. J'lem Responses: 186 Egypt tries to thwart EU pact to upgrade Israel trade ties Responses: 138 Assad: Israel must cede Syrian land 'stretching to Tiberias' Responses: 115 U.S. imam fighting deportation talks of torture by Israel Responses: 72 Natalie Portman to pitch Jewish-funded Rwanda youth village Responses: 49 Rosner's Domain Americans want talks with Iranian leadership (WTR) Obama leads in Lieberman land (WTR) McCain has been hammering at Obama Guest: Why educate child as Jew when he is not Jewish? Poll: What political option is better for Israel? More Headlines 16:52 IAF strikes Gaza after Qassams wound five in Negev 17:10 In war of words, Livni brands Iran the 'neighborhood bully' 17:52 Assad: Israel must cede Syrian land 'stretching to Tiberias' 19:43 Clinton gives Obama a fight until the last possible minute 13:50 Settlers rebuild Hebron outpost after IDF razes it for 32nd time 16:03 Syria says it wants nuclear energy under Arab umbrella 09:55 Natalie Portman to pitch Jewish-funded youth village in Rwanda 11:33 Olmert visits U.S. with focus on defense ties, thwarting Iran 19:20 Report: Evacuate residents within 5 km of Ramat Hovav industrial zone 17:19 Israel gives PA permission to open 3 police stations in West Bank 14:55 Norway court acquits 3 defendants accused of plotting attacks against Israeli, U.S. embassies 15:09 EU court halts extradition to Bogota of Israeli who trained paramilitaries 15:50 Center for German and European studies opens in Haifa Previous Editions Select Day 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may

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