Hamas continues to spread the word that a deal is near for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for terrorists, but the terrorist party also may have an additional objective of using the issue to forge a unity agreement with the rival Fatah faction.

In what may be another round of psychological warfare, a Kuwaiti newspaper on Sunday followed the lead of a Saudi newspaper and quoted Hamas sources that a senior Egyptian official recently visited Hamas officials in Gaza to iron out details on securing a deal involving Shalit.