Egypt was finalizing a deal for a prisoners' swap with Israel, in which an Israeli national detained in Cairo would be exchanged for Egyptian prisoners, an Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Saturday.
Ilan Grapel, 27, who also holds US citizenship, was arrested in Cairo in June on suspicion of spying for Israel's Mossad spy agency, dpa reported.
Egyptian spokesman Amr Roshdi said security agencies in the country will determine the number and names of Egyptian prisoners for the negotiations with Israel.
His statement follows media reports that Grapel was to be exchanged for 16 adults and three children held in various Israeli prisons.
The proposed deal comes after Egypt brokered an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement to swap Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.