Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of Hamas' leaders in the West Bank, has confirmed for the first time that Israel and Hamas are in the midst of negotiations via mediators. Upon his recent release from Israeli prison, Yousef told Channel 1 journalist Yoram Cohen that Hamas and Israel are trying to work out a deal for long-term calm with Gaza. According to Yousef, the father of "Son of Hamas" author Mosab Hassan Yousef, the deal being negotiated involves Israel helping Gaza rebuild following last summer's war and providing a floating port along the Gaza coast, in exchange for Hamas keeping the calm in the long term. Yousef warned that if Gaza is not rebuilt soon, a conflagration will result.