Hamas spokesman Iman Taha, who was in Cairo on Monday, announced Israel has exhibited a willingness to release a minimum of 1,000 terrorists and open the crossing to Gaza for the release of Gilad Shalit. Officials in Jerusalem are not commenting on the senior terrorist’s statements to the Arab media.
 
According to the Arabic-language London-based al-Hayat, Israel is also seeking an open-ended or at least an 18-month ceasefire but the terrorists have rejected the offer, unwilling to extend any agreement for a period exceeding one year. The report also states Hamas refuses to link the opening of Gaza crossings to the release of Shalit.
 
Taha also released a statement on Tuesday that talks towards Shalit’s release will not begin anew, but from the point from which they broke off.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)