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Israel seeks Shalit’s release

DUBAI: The release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit has acquired high importance as efforts by Egypt to broker a durable ceasefire in Gaza between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel gather momentum.

A Reuters report on Friday quoted a Palestinian official as saying that in recent months, Turkey and Qatar have taken the lead in negotiations to secure Cpl. Shalit’s release. Hamas abducted the Israeli soldier in 2006 during a cross-border raid.

Syria, Qatar and Turkey have been vocal in their criticism of Israel over the 22-day war in Gaza which ended last month.

Qatar had also invited a Hamas delegation during an Arab conference on Gaza in Doha that was held during the course of the Israeli assault on the coastal strip.

CNN Turk, which broadcasts in Turkish language, reported that a deal on the release may be concluded by Tuesday. The channel said Turkish officials were in Damascus for talks with the Hamas leadership in exile that is based in the Syrian capital on freeing the Israel soldier.

Israel’s ruling coalition led by the Kadima and Labour parties view the release as vital for promoting their electoral prospects during the coming Israeli elections on Tuesday.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, Labour party’s prime ministerial candidate, said “supreme efforts” were being mounted to secure his early release.

“We know that he [Cpl. Shalit] is well, alive, breathing and okay, but we need to bring him here from there,” he told Israel’s Channel 1.

Unlike the Israelis, members of the Hamas involved in negotiations were circumspect about the prospects of Cpl. Shalit’s immediate release. Senior Hamas official Osama al-Muzaini said that Israeli claims of progress about Cpl. Shalit’s release were motivated by the elections.

Hamas has so far linked the release of 1,400 prisoners including 450 long-serving inmates in Israeli jails with the abducted Israeli soldier’s freedom.

The release of Cpl. Shalit is in focus amid talks in Egypt on a durable ceasefire in Gaza.

Hamas is demanding the lifting of the blockade on Gaza as the basis for truce.

It says this can be achieved if all border crossing points between Israel and Gaza are opened along with the opening of the Rafah crossing on Gaza’s border with Egypt.

On Friday, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said in Damascus during a pro-Gaza rally Israel had given “opaque and incomplete answers through Egypt that do not amount to a lifting of the blockade.” Mr. Mashaal warned that “we will not agree to any truce except in exchange for a lifting of the blockade and a reopening of the crossings.”

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