Israel, Hamas resume prisoner exchange talks

Israel and Hamas resumed talks in Cairo last Tuesday aimed at securing the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier abducted by Hamas in June 2006, the Al-Hayat Arab paper said on Friday. Israel has eased its stance in this third round of talks, which are being mediated by Egypt, Al-Hayat said. Israel had previously refused to release a number of Hamas and other Palestinian leaders convicted of direct attacks on Israelis. But Al-Hayat said Israel has now agreed to set free all Palestinian female inmates and those Palestinians who had Israeli IDs. Sources in Egypt told the paper that Cairo had drafted a document detailing the positions of the sides and their common points, and also laying out new ideas on how to bridge the gap between Hamas and Israel.