Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, stated on Sunday that Israel rejected offers made by the movement for an Egyptian mediated temporary cease-fire.
Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that the deputy head of the Hamas' political bureau, Mousa Abu Marzouq, stated that Israel rejected an offer for a truce with Hamas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Abu Marzouq added that Israel should release 350 Palestinian detainees if it wants to see the release of the captured Israeli corporal, Gilad Shalit.
The statements of Marzouq came during an interview with the Al Qabas Kuwaiti newspaper. He said that “Hamas will negotiate with Israel over the bones of Shalit, if the detainees were not set free”.
Haaretz added that on Saturday, Palestinian legislator of Hamas, Musheer Al Masry, said that Israel and its Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, are to be blamed for failing to acheive a deal over the release of Shalit.
Al Masry added that Shalit will never be released without a prisoner swap deal, and addressed Shalit's family by saying that “Olmert and his fellows are gambling of your son's life”, Haaretz said.
Khalid Mashal, Hamas' political bureau chief based in Syria, said last week that talks over the release of Shalit are on a standstill as Israel continues to reject the release of Palestinian detainees in return.
Mashal confirmed that Shalit is alive and is being treated well by his captures, while Israel is torturing and abusing the Palestinian detainees.
Gilad Shalit was captured in a cross-border raid carried by three Palestinian resistance groups on June 2006. Two soldiers and two fighters were killed in the attack.
