Israel, supported by the United States has rejected a Hamas request to amend the prisoner release list in the Gilad Shalit deal, seeking to add a number of terrorists to the list. Israel has stated that at this point, there will be no changes made to the deal that has been signed by both sides.

Nevertheless, senior Hamas officials in Cairo signaled over the weekend that they would attempt to amend the list in efforts today, Sunday, 18 Tishrei, hoping to contact Israeli officials via diplomatic channels. It appears the Hamas concerns surround eight females imprisoned in Israel or being held under administrative detention. Hamas leader in Damascus Khaled Meshal announced that he was bringing all the women home, but now it appears he failed in this mission and he is trying to make last minute changes to the deal.

Israel has stated in no uncertain terms that the addition of the eight females is not going to be considered.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)