Meetings between senior Israeli officials and a Hamas delegation regarding a deal for Cpl. Gilad Shalit are imminent, London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported Friday from "Palestinian" sources. After two days of negotiations between Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman and a Hamas delegation in Cairo, the sources said, "the expected talks between the factions holding Shalit and the senior Israelis will take place in complete secrecy and far from the media."

According to the report, Suleiman asked Hamas not to make declarations to the press regarding the negotiations over Cpl. Gilad Shalit and to learn from Hizbullah which carried out secret negotiations with Israel and achieved "an acceptable solution."