Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for the Izzadin el-Kassam military faction of Hamas has released a message confirming a deal has been reached with Israeli by a German negotiator for the release of terrorists in exchange for Gilad Shalit.

The ministerial forum of eight met on Monday, 12 Tishrei for eight hours, discussing the prisoner exchange deal that was hammered out between Israel and Hamas by a German negotiator. It appears the deal was approved in that forum, prompting the ongoing urgent cabinet session, seeking government approval for the deal.

Al-Jazeera reports the deal will be carried out in two phases; moving Shalit to Egypt in exchange for 400-500 senior terrorists at that time, phase one of the deal.

Once this is completed, phase two will include the German negotiator moving Shalit to Germany, at which time the remainder of the terrorists will be released, totaling about 1000 prisoners in all.

Based on previous exchange deals, even if approved by the cabinet, it will be a number of weeks until Shalit arrives home.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)