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Last update - 03:47 17/06/2008 Hamas revises prisoner list for Shalit exchange By Zvi Bar'el Tags: Hamas, Gilad Shalit, Egypt  Hamas is preparing a revised list of prisoners that it wants Israel to release, in a bid to reach a deal on freeing abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, as well as an agreement on a cease-fire and the reopening of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza. The list of prisoners will be sent to Israel for review via Egyptian mediators. The new list has yet to reach Israel, Israeli officials said. Hamas insists on a fundamental separation between the Shalit deal and the cease-fire, but realizes that Shalit must be released if Israel is to agree to a truce or the reopening of the crossing, Egyptian officials said. For this reason, Hamas is expected to accede to Egyptian pressure and agree to a package deal, in which the agreements on Shalit's release and the truce would be concluded simultaneously, but neither one would be conditioned on the other. Advertisement To reach such a deal, Hamas needs to make the list of prisoners whose release it is demanding in exchange for Shalit more palatable to Israel. Hamas is calling for Israel to release 1,450 prisoners in a three-stage swap. According to the plan, Israel would free 100 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Hamas sending Shalit to Egypt. Once he reaches Egypt, Israel would release an additional 350 prisoners, and at a later, still undetermined date, Israel would free another 1,000 prisoners as a "gesture to Egypt." One Egyptian official said that Shalit's release "is an Egyptian interest no less than an Israeli interest," implying that Cairo fears Hamas will breach the Gaza-Egypt border a second time if no truce is reached because of an impasse in the Shalit deal. "This situation is liable to worsen relations between the Palestinians and Egypt, because Egypt will not be able to stand aloof if thousands of people start to stream into it from Gaza," the official said. "We cannot abide a situation in which we have to fire on Palestinian civilians in order to prevent their entry into Egypt." But the threat of a border breach is not Egypt's sole motivation in mediating between Israel and Hamas. Egypt is also under pressure because it has committed to opening the Rafah crossing even if Israel rejects the cease-fire, Hamas officials said. "We expect Egypt to adhere to this commitment and open the Rafah crossing immediately," a Hamas official in Gaza said. However, Hamas is waiting to see what happens with the negotiations with Israel before taking action on the crossing point. In the meantime, Hamas is trying to get the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, involved in mediating between Hamas and Fatah, in light of his recent success in reaching a deal between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar is currently in Doha to examine the possibility of a Hamas-Fatah reconciliation meeting. Related articles: Israel botched chance to free abducted soldiers at start of war Ex-Hezbollah captive Tennenbaum says expected to stand trial when freed The deal of the dead? 'If Egypt can't ensure security in our south, we'll find other ways' Olmert to Egypt: No Gaza truce if Shalit is not released Bookmark to del.icio.us   Purchase price More consumers are letting their consciences do the shopping. Fighting fear N.Y. mayor urges Jewish voters to denounce Obama Muslim rumors.   1.   If Gilad Shlit is not home, life in Hamastan will not be pleasant 06:02  |  Aharon 28/05/08   2.   Israel should want to separate Shalit deal and cease-fire 07:34  |  Pablo B 28/05/08   3.   1450 Palestinians = 1 Israeli 08:12  |  Michael 28/05/08   4.   Watershed moment on the horizon 08:26  |  allang 28/05/08   5.   If Hamas were eager for a peaceful co-existence with Israel, ... 08:33  |  Amihai 28/05/08   6.   It is racist to value 1(One) Jew = 1450 Arabs 09:09  |  17 28/05/08   7.   Michael #3 09:31  |  Wes 28/05/08   8.   17, I agree. 09:56  |  Michael 28/05/08   9.   Michael #8 10:50  |  Wes 28/05/08   10.   I don`t know how to pronounce Qatar 13:07  |  Aphemia 28/05/08   11.   For No. 10 13:23  |  Jackie 28/05/08   12.   qassam 20:05  |  qassam 28/05/08   13.   Shalit 18:51  |  Paul 21/06/08   14.   That`s not the case 18:54  |  Paul 21/06/08

Read & React Israel: There will be no Shalit deal unless Hamas is flexible Responses: 36 Yossi Melman: Israel is a long way from attacking Iran Responses: 31 Zvi Barel: We've done fine without peace for 41 years, why change now? Responses: 1 Gideon Levy: A great disaster has come upon Israel: the Gaza truce agreement Responses: 1 Rosner's Domain Will we see a record number of Jewish lawmakers? (2) Comparing Obama and Chamberlain (WTR) Guests: intermarried Jews are more distant from Israel The Joe Lieberman dilemma Poll: Cease fire in Gaza is an achievement for... More Headlines 08:05 Israel: There will be no Shalit deal unless Hamas is flexible 09:56 Shalit's parents petition court: Why is Gilad not part of Gaza truce deal? 09:59 Iran: Israel drill demonstrates it is a danger to world peace 03:06 ANALYSIS / Israel is a long way from attacking Iran 10:20 ANALYSIS / Is Israel capable of extinguishing Iran's nuclear aspirations? 09:48 Who leaked list of Jewish converts at heart of religious row? 04:52 Abducted IDF soldier writes to parents from captivity in Gaza 04:47 Report: North Korea developed nukes for Iran at bombed Syrian facility 05:12 Report: Soldiers routinely abuse Palestinian prisoners 04:44 Most ministers back Hezbollah prisoner swap 05:07 France cooling to Syria, Sarkozy will tell Olmert in Jerusalem visit Previous Editions Select Day 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun 10 jun 09 jun 08 jun

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