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Hamas rejects deal to end crisis

Atul Aneja

Israeli jets bomb Palestinian Prime Minister's office in Gaza

— PHOTO: AP

HIGH-PROFILE TARGET: Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh (second from right) examines the damage to the Council of Ministers building in Gaza City on Sunday.

DUBAI: Egypt's intervention to seek the release of the captured Israeli soldier has hit a snag with the Palestinian group, Hamas, rejecting a possible deal to end the crisis.

Senior Hamas official Osama A-Nizmi said on Sunday Palestinian militants holding Gilad Shalit would not accept Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's offer of a swap between the soldier and an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.

The Egyptian proposal envisages Mr. Shalit's immediate release in return for Palestinian prisoners who would be freed shortly thereafter. Mr. Mubarak said he would guarantee the release of the Palestinian prisoners. Hamas leaders had earlier expressed reservations, by pointing out that Israel could backtrack from the arrangement. Egypt has given Hamas time up to Monday night to finalise its response.

Influence of new forces

The powerful new forces in the region had begun to influence the crisis. Leader of Hizbullah in Lebanon Hassan Nasrallah urged Palestinians to return the Israeli soldier only if the thousands of their compatriots in Israeli jails were released. "There are 10,000 detainees in Israeli jails living under harsh and difficult conditions...and there is no way to free them except this way," Mr. Nasrallah said on Friday. The Hizbullah leader stressed that the Palestinian people, who were facing a grave military threat from Israel, should be ready to make sacrifices.

Syria also indicated that it might not pressure senior Hamas leaders who were operating from Damascus to ensure Mr. Shalit's speedy return. Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Syrian President Bashar Al Assad told Mr. Mubarak on telephone that decisions related to the Israeli soldier's status were being taken inside the Palestinian territories and not in Damascus. Thousands of people on Friday marched in Arab capitals in support of the Palestinians.

Israel has so far avoided a full-scale ground offensive, but has stepped up its air camping in Gaza in order to secure Mr. Shalit's release. Israeli jets early on Sunday bombed the Palestinian Prime Minister's office in Gaza. Premier Ismail Haniyeh was not in the premises at the time of the attack.

Israeli public opinion appeared to favour a prisoner swap, to end the standoff. The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that a survey that it had carried out showed that most Israelis favoured the option. Analysts point out that an influential section of the Israeli establishment also did not want military tensions to spread by invading Gaza.

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