Image of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on Hamas poster

JERUSALEM – A senior Egyptian security official, speaking to WND today, denied reports kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit will be transferred to Egypt in the coming hours or coming days.

The Egyptian official, who is involved in negotiations for Shalit's release between Israel and Hamas, said it is possible a deal to free Shalit could be struck next week.

"In the coming hours or few days, no. But negotiations will resume on Sunday that could lead to Shalit's release," the official said, speaking from Cairo.

Israel's Haaretz newspaper today quoted European diplomatic sources stating Shalit will be transferred to Egypt in the coming hours or coming days as a first stage of an agreement between the various Palestinian factions, assisted by Egyptian mediation and carried out in coordination with the U.S. and with the support of Syria.

The sources told Haaretz Shalit would be used as a "deposit" toward the completion of a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Palestinian factions, the sources said. The agreement will also include the opening of crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip as well as a unity deal between Hamas and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization, the sources told Haaretz.

David Baker, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told WND the Israeli government does not have a response to the reports.

Hamas sources had no immediate comment on the report on the release of Shalit.

Regarding the report on a unity deal between Hamas and Fatah, Ahmed Yousef, Hamas' chief political adviser in the Gaza Strip, said no such deal had been struck.

"We have an invitation to come to Cairo on June 28th to discuss a unity agreement, but there is no deal now," Yousef told WND, speaking from Gaza.

According to Hamas sources, if talks for reconciliation between Abbas and Hamas result in an agreement, Hamas is likely to sign a deal just before that to release Shalit.

An Egyptian security official concurred: "Hamas wants the credit for a massive prisoner release right before new elections. Palestinians will be on the streets celebrating Hamas and they may carry that sentiment over to the polls."

'Closer than ever on Shalit deal'

Yesterday, WND quoted sources involved in brokering a Shalit deal stating the Israeli government and Hamas are closer now than ever to accepting terms to release the Israeli soldier.

"We are making huge efforts to strike a deal on Shalit," an Egyptian security official told WND. "We are closer now than before, including during the term of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert."

Egypt has been serving as a mediator between Israel and Hamas regarding the exchange of Shalit – kidnapped in 2006 – for a large number of Palestinian convicts. Hamas has asked for the freedom of hundreds of terrorists, many of whom were directly involved in killing Israelis.

According to sources in Egypt and Hamas, former President Jimmy Carter also has been serving as a primary mediator in the Shalit affair.

The sources said Israel has expressed willingness to release hundreds of prisoners, including top terrorists whose freedom was formerly opposed by the Olmert administration. Netanyahu's office, however, is demanding many of the top terrorists be expelled to somewhere outside the Palestinian territories, the sources said.

One source involved in the prisoner exchange negotiations told WND that Hamas recently passed a cassette tape from Shalit to his parents. The information could not be corroborated with other sources.

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