Saturday, July 21, 2007

Hamas will release Gilad Shalit only if Israel is willing to meet the Hamas terms, says Hamas spokesman Abu Zuhri


"Bethlehem – Ma'an – Hamas has on Saturday denied news reports published by Israeli daily Ma'ariv, concerning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's demands that Hamas should not release Corporal Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier Hamas kidnapped in June 2006.

A spokesman for Hamas , Sami Abu Zuhri, considered what was published "as baseless." He further said that the Ma'arev daily aims to "cover up the Israeli position which refuses to have a prisoner swap."

In a statement received by Ma'an, Abu Zuhri affirmed that Hamas is ready to solve the issue of Corporal Shalit, but only when "the Israeli occupation is committed to the terms and conditions that Hamas has set for the release of Shalit."

"The sooner this issue is closed, the better it is for Hamas," concluded Abu Zuhri. "

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