Osama Hamdan, a political leader of the Hamas movement, denied reports claiming that the prisoner of war, corporal Gilad Shalit, was moved to Egypt as part of the efforts to reach a prisoner-swap deal.
In an interview with the Qatar-based, Al Jazeera, Hamdan said that the news about moving Shalit to Egypt are false and aim at pressuring Hamas amidst the ongoing indirect swap talks.
He also said that the news also aim at targeting the spirits of the families of the detainees.
The Hamas leader, based in Lebanon, added that the indirect talks are still ongoing through the German mediator, and that they are still focused on Hamas’ demand for the release of 1000 detainees in addition to the detained women and children.
He also stated that it is too early to discuss any details in public.
Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that the deal now depends on the fate of 15 Palestinian detainees, especially Marwan Barghouthi of Fateh movement, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmad Saadat, detainee Amna Mona, and two female detainees accused of aiding suicide bombers.
The remaining ten detainees are senior leaders of Hamas’ armed wing.
