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| Hamas: Talks over Shalit stopped | Hamas: Talks over Shalit stopped |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Leading Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar has said talks on swapping Palestinian prisoners for the captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit have collapsed. | Leading Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar has said talks on swapping Palestinian prisoners for the captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit have collapsed. |
| Late last year a German-mediated deal emerged in which hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would be exchanged for Gilad Shalit. | Late last year a German-mediated deal emerged in which hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would be exchanged for Gilad Shalit. |
| In an interview with the BBC, Mr Zahar blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the talks' failure. | In an interview with the BBC, Mr Zahar blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the talks' failure. |
| Gilad Shalit was captured in a raid by Palestinian militants in 2006. | Gilad Shalit was captured in a raid by Palestinian militants in 2006. |
| Speaking on the BBC's Hardtalk programme, Mr Zahar maintained Prime Minister Netanyahu pushed for stricter conditions for the release of several high-profile Palestinian prisoners. | Speaking on the BBC's Hardtalk programme, Mr Zahar maintained Prime Minister Netanyahu pushed for stricter conditions for the release of several high-profile Palestinian prisoners. |
| Q&A: Gilad Shalit capture Who are the Mid-East prisoners? Shalit mediator holds Gaza talks | Q&A: Gilad Shalit capture Who are the Mid-East prisoners? Shalit mediator holds Gaza talks |
| "As regarding negotiations, as of now the process has failed. The main cause, well known to everybody, well known to the mediator, that after the interference of the political element, after the appearance of Netanyahu personally, there was a big regression and retraction. For this reason negotiations have now stopped," he said. | "As regarding negotiations, as of now the process has failed. The main cause, well known to everybody, well known to the mediator, that after the interference of the political element, after the appearance of Netanyahu personally, there was a big regression and retraction. For this reason negotiations have now stopped," he said. |
| Mr Zahar, one of the founders of Hamas, said the prospect for future talks looked uncertain. | Mr Zahar, one of the founders of Hamas, said the prospect for future talks looked uncertain. |
| "We are looking to set free our people and also to give a chance for the family of the Israeli soldier to live as a human being also. We demanded a considerable number of prisoners, but the Israeli side, after hundreds of rounds of talks, reached backward too much." | "We are looking to set free our people and also to give a chance for the family of the Israeli soldier to live as a human being also. We demanded a considerable number of prisoners, but the Israeli side, after hundreds of rounds of talks, reached backward too much." |
| Sgt Shalit, 23, was captured in a raid into southern Israel by Palestinian militants from Gaza, in 2006. | Sgt Shalit, 23, was captured in a raid into southern Israel by Palestinian militants from Gaza, in 2006. |
| Hamas want hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel, including senior militant leaders that Israel holds responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israeli citizens, to be freed in exchange for Sgt Shalit's release. | Hamas want hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel, including senior militant leaders that Israel holds responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israeli citizens, to be freed in exchange for Sgt Shalit's release. |
| Israel holds about 10,000 Palestinian prisoners in jail on security grounds - a major bone of contention with the Palestinians. | Israel holds about 10,000 Palestinian prisoners in jail on security grounds - a major bone of contention with the Palestinians. |