Shin Bet officials met jailed Hamas leaders on Shalit deal

Shin Bet officials met with jailed Hamas leaders several months ago as part of intensive efforts by then prime minister Ehud Olmert's government to secure the release of kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit before the end of his tenure.

The Hamas leaders were brought to the Ketziot Prison in the Negev for the meetings, according to Palestinian sources.

It appears the Hamas prisoners were granted special conditions for being part of the meetings, including receiving mobile phones and being allowed to spend 10 days together.

Earlier this year, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported that Hamas leaders imprisoned in Israel were permitted to meet to discuss their movement's negotiations with Israel over a prisoner swap deal in exchange for Shalit.

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

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 then to the report.

Shalit has been held in Palestinian captivity since he was abducted by militants from the Gaza Strip in a 2006 cross-border raid. Negotiations to secure his release have been ongoing, but have so far yielded little results.