On June 20, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel, Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Cairo will discuss the exchange of prisoners between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in which the Egyptian government will mediator, the Arabic newspaper Al-Sharq al-Ausat reported.
At a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and head of defense and intelligence, Barak will discuss the possibility of breakthrough in the Middle East peace process, lifting of the blockade of the Gaza Strip and expanding regional peace between Israel and Arab countries. However, the main topic of negotiations will be a discharge of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been in Hamas captivity for more than two years. Hamas demands to release Shalit in exchange of the return of 1,000 prisoners of the movement.