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.
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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.
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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)
