Gaza newspaper says Hamas officials met to discuss final agreement; additional report says Israeli diplomats also present.
By JPOST.COM STAFF311_Gilad photo on billboard(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Hamas presented a final deal Saturday for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit. According to a report from a Hamas affiliated newspaper, the deputy president of Hamas, Moussa Abu Mazrouk, arrived in Cairo yesterday and discussed the issue with another senior Hamas official who was not named.Israel media reported that it was likely that the unnamed official was Ahmed Jabri, the head of Hamas' military wing and also one of the leading Palestinian officials in the Schalit deal. The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the veracity of the report.RELATED:Bruni sends Sara Netanyahu note on Gilad SchalitPMO: No breakthrough in Schalit talks despite reports Jabri arrived in Cairo late last Thursday night to discuss Schalit's release with senior Egyptian officials, Al-Hayat reported.According to the report, other senior Hamas military officials have been in Cairo for the past days discussing the release of Schalit.Army Radio said that Defense Ministry Diplomatic-Security Bureau chief Amos Gilad was also in Cairo participating in discussions.Talk of Schalit's imminent release began last Thursday when it was reported that former Egyptian ambassador to Israel Muhammad Bassiouni was quoted in Egyptian paper Al Mesryoon as saying that an agreement to release the captive Schalit could be reached within hours.That report was denied both by Bassiouni and the Prime Minister's Office.Gilad Schalit has been in captivity since June 25, 2006.
