Egyptian officials have asserted that Israel will agree to a version of a ceasefire in Gaza without demanding the immediate release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said earlier this week that there will be no deal without the return of the soldier, who was abducted almost two years ago in a cross-border raid that killed two other soldiers.

Unnamed Egyptian sources were quoted in Israeli media that Israel will settle for a renewal of talks involving the release of Arab terrorists in return for Shalit.