Hamas is unwilling to forgo its preconditions for any exchange of prisoners with Israel, and insists that terrorists re-arrested after being freed in the deal for captive soldier Gilad Schalit be freed first, a source in the organization told the London-based pan-Arabic news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat Friday morning.
In a response to a report on Channel 12 News that Israel had made a new proposal in talks about a possible prisoner exchange with Hamas, the source confirmed that the group was standing firm that all Schalit deal prisoners be released before Hamas would launch any serious negotiations.
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The source added that generally speaking, Hamas studies all such proposals and replies to them. This one, submitted via mediators, appears to have been rejected.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the source hinted that Israel was sticking to its offer of releasing the bodies of two Hamas terrorists, as well as sick and elderly prisoners, in exchange for the bodies of fallen soldiers Lt. Hadar Goldin and Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, and captives Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
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