Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said Thursday evening that his organization would cooperate with all international efforts "to bring an end to the occupation." In a Damascus policy speech intended to respond to recent addresses by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and United States President Barack Obama, Mashaal said the West is responsible for Israeli "extremism and intransigence".
Mashaal also blamed "Israeli obstinance" for the failure of talks through Egyptian mediators on the release of soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted by Hamas and its allies three years ago on Thursday. Mashaal said the only way Israel would gain his release was through a "serious prisoner exchange".