Second phase of Israel-Hamas prisoners' deal in days
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Xinhua, December 14, 2011
Second phase of prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Palestinian Hamas movement will be accomplished in a few days, an Egyptian diplomat said Wednesday.
Egypt, which brokered and sponsors the swap, "works to secure that the second phase take place according to the agreed standards, " said Yasser Othman, Egypt's ambassador in the West Bank.
Othman told Xinhua that Israel should release 550 Palestinian prisoners in a few days. "We are on undisclosed consistent contacts with Israel to secure the success of the swap."
In the first phase in October, Hamas released an Israeli soldier it had held for five years while Israel freed 477 prisoners Hamas selected their names. Israel decided the prisoners who would be freed in the second stage.
Meanwhile, a Hamas official said that his group received assurances from Egypt that the prisoners would be freed no later than Dec. 18.
Speaking to Xinhua, Salah al-Bardaweel, a Hamas official, said it had been agreed that prisoners from different Palestinian factions be freed. He added that the prisoners must include patients, children and women. There should be no Palestinians who were held for criminal charges.
