Egyptian intelligence chief mediating hostage solution in Tel Aviv

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dpa German Press Agency
Published: Wednesday November 29, 2006

Tel Aviv- Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman said Wednesday evening that a mediated solution to a five-month-old hostage crisis involving an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza was near. "The process will come to a conclusion very soon," Suleiman told reporters ahead of a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz in Tel Aviv.

Peretz called his guest a "great contributor" to peace whose presence in Israel was "significant."

The armed wing of the governing Palestinian Hamas movement abducted Corporal Gilad Shalit in a June 25 raid on an Israeli military outpost bordering Gaza.

The Islamic militant group is demanding the release of hundreds of Palestinian militants imprisoned in Israel in exchange for the hostage's freedom.

Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza - aimed also at ending rocket fire from the Strip - to pressure the Islamic militant group into freeing the soldier.

But it pulled out its troops as part of a new, surprise ceasefire that took effect in Gaza early Sunday.

Israeli officials involved in the indirect negotiations told Israel Channel 2 television that disagreement remained on the number of Palestinian detainees to be freed, which side should dictate the list of prisoners up for release, and whether the exchange should be simultaneous or in two stages.

Israel insists Shalit be freed first and says it is willing to release a limited number of militants from its jails only afterwards.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency