Ehud Barak believes current truce helps create atmosphere for a prisoners swap deal

Tuesday September 02, 2008 13:55 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, said on Tuesday that the current truce deal with the Palestinian factions have helped create the atmosphere for the release of captured Israeli soldier Gil'ad Shalit.

Barak's remarks were reported by Israeli Radio-Arabic Program, which stated that the Minister expected resumption of indirect talks with Hamas over a prisoner swap deal very soon. Barak emphasized the need that such talks be held in secrecy to ensure their success. He also pointed out that the Shalit case has been the main item of talks between Egypt's President Husni Mubarak and his Intelligence Chief, Omar Sulieman, which took place last week in Egypt’s coastal city Alexandria. Minister Barak was also quoted as saying, "the recent calm around the Gaza Strip has enabled the school children of adjacent Israeli population centers to return back to their schools for the first time in a long period." 

Last week, Israeli media sources reported that Hamas, who continue to hold Shalit, has increased demands for the swap deal. Instead of the release of 450 prisoners, Hamas has demanded the release of 1000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Israel and representatives of Palestinian factions in Gaza, including the ruling party Hamas, began an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal on June 19, which stipulates the halting of Palestinian homemade shells into Israel in return for lifting the Israeli blockade and stopping Israeli army attacks on Gaza.

gaza strip | truce | news report rami at imemc dot org