Israel Cabinet holds urgent session to discuss deal meant to secure release of Hamas-held IDF soldier. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV says Hamas agreed to deal; notes prisoner exchange may take place as early as November. The prisoner swap would see Shalit exchanged for some 1,000 Palestinian militants held by Israel. A source involved in the talks said the deal would see the prisoners released in a two-stage arrangement, the first involving the release of 450 for the soldier, with the remaining 550 freed at a later time.







Published:
10.11.11



Is the Shalit deal within grasp? Saudi Arabia's Al-Arabiya TV reported Tuesday that Egypt has made a breakthrough in its mediation of a deal meant to secure the release of
kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, and that such an exchange may take place as early as November.
An Israeli official confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened his cabinet to discuss the prisoner exchange deal that would bring the Hamas-held soldier back home.The prisoner swap would see Shalit exchanged for some 1,000 Palestinian
militants held by Israel. A source involved in the talks said the deal would see the
prisoners released in a two-stage arrangement, the first involving the release
of 450 for the soldier, with the remaining 550 freed at a later time.


"The exchange deal of Palestinian prisoners for Shalit (will be) implemented
at the beginning of this November, with Egyptian mediation," the television
channel said, citing unnamed sources. It did not give further details.



Hamas' Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades Abu Ubeida said: "We are in the process
of completing the technical arrangements to complete the deal within days."

A Hamas delegation led by a top Hamas official, Mahmoud Zahar, arrived in
Cairo on Monday night from the group's headquarters in Syria. Gaza sources told
Reuters that the swap may even take place "within the next few days."
Noam Shalit, Gilad's father, confirmed that the family was notified of the
cabinet meeting. He gave no further details.

The cabinet is expected to vote on the deal later Tuesday night. Jerusalem
sources told Ynet that it was "highly likely" that the cabinet would approve the
deal by a majority vote.



Netanyahu's special eight-minister forum discussed the deal on Sunday and had
apparently agreed on all of the deal's main points.



Shalit was captured in June 2006 in a cross-border raid by Hamas militants near the Kerem Shalom crossing.





http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4134235,00.html