Hamas leaders jailed in Israel meet to discuss Shalit talks

Hamas leaders imprisoned in Israel met on Sunday evening to discuss their movement's negotiations with Israel over a prisoner swap deal in exchange for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, according to the Palestinian news agency Ma'an.

According to the report, Prisons Service acquiesced to the group leadership's request to convene on the grounds of the Ketziot Prison, in the Negev,

Several members of the Hamas legislative body were reportedly present at the meeting, as well as leaders of the group's military wing, a-Din a-Qassam. During the meeting, the Hamas leaders also compiled their demands for better prison treatment.

Prisons Services refused to respond to the report.

Hamas: Israel deceived us during Shalit talks

Hamas' exiled political leader said Sunday that the Islamist group was prepared to release abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a prisoner swap deal, but accused Israel of refusing its gestures and complicating matters.

Khaled Meshal told the Italian daily La Repubblica that Israel continued to change its conditions and pile on demands throughout the negotiations for a prisoner swap, misleading both Hamas and Egyptian mediators.

Meshal was quoted as saying that outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was trying to threaten Hamas with the specter of Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu, who takes a harder line toward the Palestinians.

"We know that he's putting on a little show," Meshal said of Olmert. "But it makes no difference to us. He's the one who is in a hurry to bring home a success, without paying a price for it."

Abu Marzouk: Prisoner swap deal must be reached

Another exiled group leader, Moussa Abu Marzouk, declared on Sunday that Israel and Hamas had no choice but to reach a deal for Shalit's release.

Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' Damascus-based political bureau, explained that the sides would have to do so as long as Israel held Palestinian prisoners and Hamas held an Israeli captive.

He made the comments in an interview with the BBC. The Hamas leader also told the British network that he did not believe negotiations over Shalit had failed, but added Hamas would not make concessions after Israel had published the names of a number of prisoners the group is demanding in return for Shalit.

"This is likely to cause mental pain to the prisoners and their families," said Abu Marzouk.

A spokesman for Olmert also said Sunday that attempts to win Shalit's release had not stopped despite strong signals from the premier that no deal was likely during his last days in office.

Mark Regev said Israel is still trying to strike a deal on a prisoner swap with Hamas. He provided no further details.

Olmert is set to leave office within two weeks. After a recent round of talks broke down, he indicated he was turning the matter over to his successor, Benjamin Netanyahu.

The head of Hamas' government in the Gaza Strip also said a deal was still possible. Ismail Haniyeh wrote in a Hamas newspaper Sunday that the group's representatives are still trying to renew the Egyptian-sponsored talks.

Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip in a 2006 cross-border raid. Hamas has demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some of them directly involved in the murder of Israeli citizens, in return for Shalit's freedom.

Also Sunday, the pan-Arab daily Al Hayat reported that Israel agreed to release all but five prisoners demanded by Hamas in prisoner swap talks last week in Cairo

According to the newspaper, talks broke down after Jerusalem balked at Hamas' insistence that the swap include Ahmad Sa'adat, the Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; Ibrahim Khaled, commander of the Hamas military wing; Abdallah Barghouti; Hassan Salameh; and Amana Muna.

Sa'adat was convicted of plotting the murder of former minister Rehavam Ze'evi. Muna was convicted for luring an Israeli teen, Ofir Rahum, via the Internet to a secluded location and brutally murdering him.

On Saturday, Abu Marzouk said the militant group is willing to restart negotiations for a prisoner exchange, and that Hamas would like to reach an agreement as quickly as possible.

Marzouk told the Egyptian newspaper Al-Shuruq that significant progress had been made in the Egypt-mediated talks between Hamas and Israel, but not enough to finalize a deal.

Gaza protesters place effigy of Shalit in cage

Palestinians protesting for the release of their relatives jailed in Israeli prisons placed a uniform-clad effigy ofShalit inside a cage during a demonstration in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

The Hamas-sponsored rally was organized by families of Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israel jails.

Near the protest tent, demonstrators hung Hebrew signs which read: "Shalit will not be freed until all our prisoners are released," and "Shalit will not go home as long as our prisoners are still in jail."

	Israelis rally in favor of a prisoner swap deal for Shalit in Jerusalem on Saturday.
	Photo by: (Jini)