This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7947624.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Hope dashed for Israel-Hamas swap | Hope dashed for Israel-Hamas swap |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two senior Israeli envoys have returned from indirect talks with Hamas in Cairo without a deal on the release of captured soldier, Gilad Shalit. | Two senior Israeli envoys have returned from indirect talks with Hamas in Cairo without a deal on the release of captured soldier, Gilad Shalit. |
| Israel accused the Palestinian militant group of hardening its position on a proposed prisoner exchange. | Israel accused the Palestinian militant group of hardening its position on a proposed prisoner exchange. |
| Hamas played down suggestions a deal had been close and said its conditions had not changed. | |
| The talks are part of a final push by outgoing Israeli PM Ehud Olmert to secure a deal before he leaves office. | The talks are part of a final push by outgoing Israeli PM Ehud Olmert to secure a deal before he leaves office. |
| Cpl Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants from Gaza, including some from Hamas's armed wing, in a cross-border raid in June 2006. | Cpl Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants from Gaza, including some from Hamas's armed wing, in a cross-border raid in June 2006. |
| Two other troops and two militants were killed in the raid. Gilad Shalit has since been promoted to the rank of sergeant. | Two other troops and two militants were killed in the raid. Gilad Shalit has since been promoted to the rank of sergeant. |
| Egypt has been brokering the indirect talks. Hamas are demanding the release of more than 400 of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. | Egypt has been brokering the indirect talks. Hamas are demanding the release of more than 400 of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. |
| Speculation | Speculation |
| The two envoys, Yuval Diskin, head of the Shin Bet security service, and negotiator Ofer Dekel, are due to brief ministers at a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday afternoon. | The two envoys, Yuval Diskin, head of the Shin Bet security service, and negotiator Ofer Dekel, are due to brief ministers at a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday afternoon. |
| The meeting had already been postponed from Monday, when it had been scheduled to allow a vote on a possible deal, amid Israeli speculation that an agreement was imminent. | The meeting had already been postponed from Monday, when it had been scheduled to allow a vote on a possible deal, amid Israeli speculation that an agreement was imminent. |
| Mr Olmert's office issued a terse statement saying: "It turns out that Hamas has hardened its stance... and presented extremist demands, despite the generous (Israeli) propositions that were made." Israel holds thousands of Palestinians prisoner accused of militant activity | Mr Olmert's office issued a terse statement saying: "It turns out that Hamas has hardened its stance... and presented extremist demands, despite the generous (Israeli) propositions that were made." Israel holds thousands of Palestinians prisoner accused of militant activity |
| A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, said Israel negotiators had brought no new proposals to the talks. | A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, said Israel negotiators had brought no new proposals to the talks. |
| He suggested the Israelis appeared to believe Hamas would accept any offer ahead of the formation of a more hardline government in Israel by right-wing prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. | He suggested the Israelis appeared to believe Hamas would accept any offer ahead of the formation of a more hardline government in Israel by right-wing prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu. |
| Among the prisoners Hamas wants to be freed are senior militants who have been involved in deadly attacks on Israeli civilians. | Among the prisoners Hamas wants to be freed are senior militants who have been involved in deadly attacks on Israeli civilians. |
| Reports from the talks say one of the issues dividing the sides was Israel's wish to deport some of these prisoners, fearing they would be a security risk if released in the Palestinian territories. | Reports from the talks say one of the issues dividing the sides was Israel's wish to deport some of these prisoners, fearing they would be a security risk if released in the Palestinian territories. |
| Hamas representatives have said the group rejects the deportation proposal on principle. | Hamas representatives have said the group rejects the deportation proposal on principle. |
| Precondition | Precondition |
| Mr Olmert had made the release of Sgt Shalit a major issue of his premiership. But he may have only days left in office, depending on how long it takes Mr Netanyahu to form a coalition. | Mr Olmert had made the release of Sgt Shalit a major issue of his premiership. But he may have only days left in office, depending on how long it takes Mr Netanyahu to form a coalition. |
| The outgoing prime ministers has also said he wanted to make Sgt Shalit's release a precondition for a wider ceasefire agreement with Hamas, under which Hamas wants the crossings into Gaza fully opened to allow rebuilding after the recent Israeli operation. | The outgoing prime ministers has also said he wanted to make Sgt Shalit's release a precondition for a wider ceasefire agreement with Hamas, under which Hamas wants the crossings into Gaza fully opened to allow rebuilding after the recent Israeli operation. |
| Sgt Shalit's family and supporters have said they fear a harder-line cabinet led by Mr Netanyahu might be less likely to do a deal. | Sgt Shalit's family and supporters have said they fear a harder-line cabinet led by Mr Netanyahu might be less likely to do a deal. |
| The Shalits set up a tent in front of Mr Olmert's house last week, escalating their campaign after the prime minister said demonstrations calling for Sgt Shalit's release were unhelpful. | The Shalits set up a tent in front of Mr Olmert's house last week, escalating their campaign after the prime minister said demonstrations calling for Sgt Shalit's release were unhelpful. |
| Nothing has been heard from the Israeli conscript since June 2008, two years after his capture, when a letter in his handwriting was delivered to the Carter Centre in Ramallah in the West Bank. | Nothing has been heard from the Israeli conscript since June 2008, two years after his capture, when a letter in his handwriting was delivered to the Carter Centre in Ramallah in the West Bank. |