Haaretz reports today that a prisoner swap deal for the release of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier abducted by Hamas in 2006, could be concluded prior to the High Holidays.
Gilad Shalit
Sources told Haaretz that “Syria and a number of uncited states have agreed to take in prisoners who Israel wants exiled from the West Bank and Gaza.”
The Israeli daily noted that negotiations for Shalit’s release “have so far yielded little results, as the sides differ on terms of the deal.”
Neither Israel nor Hamas confirmed the report of Shalit’s pending release, which was reported in the Lebanese press, according to Haaretz.
“Meanwhile, officials from Hamas’ military wing — including its leader Ahmed Jabri — departed for Cairo on Wednesday, marking an important development” in a deal for Shalit’s release, Haaretz reported, and added that “Jabri joined senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar, whose travel to Cairo was reported by Palestinian news agency Maan on Tuesday. This constitutes a major development, as the last time Jabri traveled to Cairo was at the end of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s term when there were escalated hopes for a last-minute deal.”
The Israel Program Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation will sponsor a program, “Gilad Shalit: Everybody’s Child.” The event takes place 7 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, Aug. 26, at the Sabes JCC, 4330 S. Cedar Lake Rd., St. Louis Park. It is free and open to the public.
