Hamas leader and former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh recently turned down a meeting with the Doctors for Human Rights group, according to the Arabic language newspaper El-Anwan el-Raisi, published in Israel.  A group of doctors had asked to visit Haniyeh and discuss kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, and had requested a meeting with Shalit as well.

Hamas officials rejected the request, arguing that Haniyeh and Hamas did not know where Shalit was located.  However, sources quoted by El-Anwan el-Raisi said the visit was actually cancelled due to fears that Israel would manage to track the group to Haniyeh’s residence and assassinate him.