According to the Egyptian al-Hayat newspaper, during his visit to Jerusalem on Wednesday, Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman expressed Cairo’s desire to make a separation between efforts towards a long-term ceasefire with Hamas and a prisoner exchange deal to obtain Gilad Shalit’s release. Until now, the two have been handled together but the Egyptians, who are mediating between Israel and Hamas, wish to address the two issues independent of one another.

According to the London-based Arabic newspaper’s report, Suleiman also told senior Israeli officials in Yerushalayim during his meetings on Wednesday that the quiet prevailing in Gaza today is not the result of Operation Cast Lead, but due to the “intensive Egyptian pressure on Hamas”.

Suleiman is also quoted as saying that Hamas is anxious to bring its prisoners home and Shalit’s release can be accomplished as soon as Israel agrees to Hamas’ list of prisoners which it wishes released in the deal.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)