Egypt, France airdrop aid to Gaza amid growing humanitarian crisis, global criticism of Israel    Supply minister discusses strengthening cooperation with ITFC    Egypt launches initiative with traders, manufacturers to reduce prices of essential goods    SCZONE chief discusses strengthening maritime, logistics cooperation with Panama    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Egypt reviews health insurance funding mechanism to ensure long-term sustainability    Gaza on verge of famine as war escalates, ceasefire talks stall    Gaza crisis, trade on agenda as Trump hosts Starmer in Scotland    Egyptian president follows up on initiatives to counter extremist thought    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    58 days that exposed IMF's contradictions on Egypt    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Egyptians, Hamas discuss Schalit handover
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 15 - 10 - 2011

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (Updated) — Hamas officials were devising a strategy with Egyptian intelligence officers Saturday for safely transferring an Israeli soldier they have held captive for the past five years to Israel, a senior Hamas official said.
The mechanics of how to transfer Sgt. Gilad Schalit are expected to be one of the trickiest parts of the prisoner swap deal announced Tuesday in which Israel will release 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the soldier, captured by Hamas-backed militants in a 2006 cross-border raid and kept in hiding since.
The militants are eager to keep secret the location where they have held Schalit, no easy feat in a tiny sliver of territory crammed with 1.6 million people.
However unlikely it seems, some militants involved in hiding Schalit also said they feared Israeli forces might seize the soldier if they knew of his location before he was spirited out, a senior Hamas official said. They are also on guard for the slim possibility that other militants along the transfer route could try to harm the soldier.
Hamas officials discussed the issue with Egyptian intelligence figures in Cairo on Saturday, the Hamas official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the press. He would not say what strategy was agreed upon, only that "different scenarios" were under consideration.
The general plan, however, is to transfer Schalit from Hamas custody to Egypt. Cairo would then hand the soldier over to Israel.
The International Committee of the Red Cross will be present for Schalit's handover. But the organization will not have a role in ferrying him out of Gaza, the official said.
He would not say when Schalit would be transferred to Egyptian custody or from where. He said the Israeli would not be handed over to Egyptian officials at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
Schalit is expected to be returned to Israel on Tuesday, but it is not clear whether the whole operation to transfer him from Gaza to Egypt, and then back home, will occur on the same day.
The spokesman for a smaller Palestinian militant faction also involved in Schalit's captivity said the handover would have several steps.
Members of several Palestinian committees would check the identities of released Palestinian prisoners, said Mohammed al-Barem of the Popular Resistance Committees. He did not say where they would do this — in Israel, or in Egypt.
Once they confirm the prisoners' identities, they will be transferred in buses to the Egyptian Sinai desert.
Once they reach the Sinai, the procedures to release Schalit would begin, he said.
"They will hand over the captive soldier simultaneously, without announcement, and in secret, with strong security procedures by the factions holding (Schalit)," al-Barem said.
Once that is accomplished, the Palestinian prisoners meant to be released into Gaza would be taken to the Rafah crossing.
From there, Palestinian officials will escort them to Gaza City for a massive celebration.
Israel is expected to release around 450 Palestinian prisoners on the same day that Schalit is released.
Prisoners headed to the West Bank are typically left at Israeli checkpoints scattered throughout the territory. Waiting Palestinian buses ferry them back home.


Clic here to read the story from its source.