Hamas Offered 600 Prisoners For Israeli Soldier
Ryan R. Jones - All Headline News Middle East Correspondent Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - Hamas-led terrorists have been offered the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in return for freeing Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Corporal Gilad Shalit, whom they have been holding in Gaza for the past six weeks. The tentative offer was made by Egyptian mediators, according to Hamas officials who spoke to Reuters, and it also included a further release of prisoners by Israel at an unspecified future date. There is no indication Israel has approved the terms, and Jerusalem is still publicly sticking to its position that no jailed terrorists will be exchanged for Shalit. Shortly after Shalit was kidnapped just outside Gaza on June 25, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared Israel would not be made a victim of blackmail. Instead, Israel launched Operation Summer Rains, which has seen multiple large-scale IDF ground incursions into Gaza, and daily aerial and artillery strikes on terrorist positions there. But Hamas insists that all the military force in the world will not budge them, and that the only way for Israel to secure Shalit's release is to free thousands of security prisoners. Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, Khalil al-Hayeh, head of Hamas's parliamentary list, said, "Israel must pay a heavy price for its soldier." Hayeh said Hamas was "disturbed" by pressure from internal Palestinian elements to uncon |
