A German mediator negotiating a prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas has arrived in Gaza with Israel's answer to the Islamist group's demands to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for an Israeli soldier, Hamas officials said Wednesday, DPA reported.
Hamas is demanding the release of around 1,000 jailed militants in exchange for Gilad Shalit, who was snatched on June 25, 2006 during a cross-border raid by three militias based in the Strip.
Key Israeli ministers, who held a series of meetings on the matter Sunday and Monday, gave the green light to continue with the mediation efforts, but attached conditions.
Although the details of the negotiations have been kept under tight wrap, the Israeli Ma'ariv daily reported Wednesday that Israel was insisting that 120 of the prisoners to be freed be sent to the Gaza Strip, or even exiled abroad, rather than be allowed to return to their homes in the West Bank.
It is not yet clear whether Hamas will accept this Israeli condition.
German mediator reaches Gaza with Israeli answer on prisoner deal
