Mashaal to meet Egyptian spy chief for Shalit talks

Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal on Wednesday was expected to meet with the head of Egyptian intelligence General Murad Muwafi in Cairo for discussions on the latest round of prisoner exchange talks with Israel, the London-based Al-Hayat reported.

Sources in Egypt told the paper that Mashaal had already met with some Egyptian intelligence officials on Tuesday to discuss the details of the deal, which would see the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for hundreds of Hamas prisoners held in Israeli jails.

An official Israeli response has not been released regarding the negotiations, and the Prime Minister's Office has refused to comment on reports.

However, Homefront Defense Minister Matan Vilna'i told Army Radio on Wednesday that, "Every once in a while rumors such as these crop up and we must continue to treat them as such."

However, he did hint that, "We've reached a breakthrough now that Hamas understands it must end this affair."

He added, "You have to remember the meaning of releasing the terrorists while continuing to negotiate."

Additionally, in a surprising move on Tuesday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak confirmed that there is an element of truth to some of the rumors that have surfaced in recent days. Sources within the political system who usually prefer not to comment over Shalit developments, have also, in an uncommon move, expressed support over the recent reports on progress in the negotiations to free Shalit.

Hamas official Mohammed Hamdan on Tuesday also commented on the indirect talks, telling Arab media that "we are still far from declaring a breakthrough in negotiations, but significant progress has been made in the wake of Israel's flexibility over the conditions of the exchange."

Arab news agencies quoting other Hamas officials reported that Israel has so far agreed to reduce the number of prisoners to be deported to Gaza and abroad after they are freed, and that Palestinian prisoners jailed in East Jerusalem would also be freed.

"The meeting dealt with an assortment of issues mainly the Palestinian reconciliation. The prisoner swap was discussed on the margins of the meeting," a Hamas official told Reuters, without giving further details.

Egypt has been mediating talks between Israel and Hamas over a prisoner deal that would see the release of Shalit -- captured in a cross-border raid in 2006 -- in exchange for about 1,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The deal has been bogged down over which prisoners will be among the 1,000 Israel has agreed to release.

Director of Policy and Political-Military Affairs at the Ministry of Defense Gen. [res] Amos Gilad visited Cairo last week to discuss "issues of concern" to Israel, Reuters reported.

The reports of progress on the talks come after Al-Hayat reported earlier this week that Israeli and Hamas officials are convening in Cairo for indirect prisoner swap negotiations via Egyptian mediators. The first round of talks was launched in Cairo last week, but that meeting failed to produce any results, according to the daily.

According to the Al-Hayat reports Hamas military wing commander, Ahmed Jaabari, is representing the Hamas delegation in the Cairo negotiations and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's envoy, Mossad official David Meidan, is leading the Israeli negotiating team.

Sources close to the Shalit family confirmed to Israel Hayom that "the abducted soldier's parents were updated this week over the Al-Hayat report on the talks taking place in Cairo."

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