Shalit family: German mediator set to deliver Hamas response

The Shalit family spokesman said on Wednesday that the German mediator for the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit is set to arrive in Israel this week with the Hamas response to the recent Israeli offer.

Speaking on Israel Radio, Shimshon Libman stressed that Israel should not listen to every announcement relayed by the Hamas, who have been holding Shalit captive for over three years.

Libman added that he does not yet know what the Hamas response is, but called for the Israeli decision makers to reach an agreement regarding the deal, no matter what their response may be.

Libman continued to say that despite the Shalit family's low profile, dozens of activists have begun uncoordinated operations throughout the country, which they cannot control.

Activists for Shalit's release went to Karni and Kerem Shalom, two Israel-Gaza border crossings, to try (unsuccessfully) to block the entry of fuel containers into Gaza. The family was not involved in this initiative.

The Shalit family, which has been keeping mum on the negotiations for the last several weeks, broke its silence on Tuesday to lash out at Hamas.

The family said in a statement that Hamas leaders "ought to remember that in addition to holding Gilad hostage without any basic human rights, they have also kept hundreds of thousands of Palestinian residents of Gaza in an intolerable humanitarian situation for almost four years. Because of Hamas leaders' stubbornness, hundreds of thousands of ordinary, uninvolved civilians are living under siege for the fourth year now, in poverty, hunger and economic and diplomatic strangulation. Therefore, the time has come for Hamas leaders to think carefully about their actions and start putting the interests of their people above their own political interests."

Israel has conditioned reopening its border with Gaza on Shalit's freedom.

Earlier, Hamas officials in Gaza said that the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the deal had been halted, due to the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai two weeks ago.

The negotiations were reportedly close to a breakthrough in December, but have since stalled again.

"The current circumstances do not allow a continuation of the indirect talks to finalize a prisoner swap deal," said Hamas spokesman Ayman Taha. However, he added, "we cannot say that the talks have completely stopped. The movement will later make a final decision."