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Palestinian-Israeli Prisoner Swap This Week
Gaza City, Jan 1 (DPA) Palestinian sources said a prisoner exchange
deal to secure the release of a captured Israeli soldier in return
for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would be
announced later in the week.
According to the reports issued by the Palestinian Ramattan news
service Sunday night, a four-stage deal is in the works, in which
1,400 Palestinian prisoners would be released in exchange for
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
The deal would be announced Thursday in a meeting between Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak and Olmert, reports said.
Egypt has served as a principle negotiator between Israel and the
Palestinian organisations in talks regarding the release of Shalit
and Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas spoke on the phone Sunday evening to discuss
the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, Haaretz Daily
reported Sunday evening.
A spokesman for the Islamic Hamas military wing said Sunday there
has been clear progress in the process to exchange prisoners between
Israel and the Palestinians.
"There is an obvious openness regarding the prisoner exchange
issue," said Abu Obaida. He expressed hopes of "a strong and swift
swap" between the two sides.
His remarks followed reports that the family of the captured Israeli
soldier has received a video tape showing their son alive. However,
it was unclear if the tape had actually been received by the family
or if such a tape would be part of the first stage of the exchange.
The first stage of an exchange would reportedly include the release
of some Palestinian women and minors held in Israeli jails, while
the second stage would include the transfer of Shalit to Egypt and
the release of 450 Palestinian prisoners.
Olmert's office denied that there had been any significant progress
made regarding an exchange, and Saeb Erekat, a senior PLO official,
said that any deal would still require more time.
Shalit was seized by Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and
its offshoot the Islamic army on 25 June after a cross-border raid.
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