Hamas has delivered an ultimatum to Cairo demanding it release one of its operatives who is currently sitting in an Egyptian jail, or the terrorist group will end negotiations for the release of kidnapped IDF St. Sgt. Gilad Shalit. The soldier has been held captive in Gaza since June 25, 2006.
Ayman Nofal, a senior Hamas operative, was arrested in January after Hamas terrorists blew up the barrier that separates Gaza from Egypt near Rafiah. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Authority Arab residents flooded into Egypt following the breach, including thousands of Hamas and other PA terrorists.
Nofal was jailed on suspicion that he was planning terrorist attacks in Egypt. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri revealed that the incident "has topped the agenda of all talks with Egyptian officials. We hope Egypt can end it by freeing him."
Senior Hamas official Yousef Farhat told supporters at a rally in Gaza on Saturday, "We have put the case of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in the refrigerator and it will remain frozen until Ayman Nofal is released from an Egyptian jail. We can't speak about a swap to get prisoners out from the [Israeli] occupation jails while Nofal is staying at the Egyptian prison."
Although the group had said several days ago it was willing to resume Egyptian-brokered talks for Shalit's release, Hamas later announced that its armed division was unwilling to proceed until Nofal was freed.
The terrorist group has demanded that Israel free more than 1,000 PA terrorists in exchange for Shalit, many of whom have "blood on their hands" – that is, terrorists guilty of spilling Jewish blood. A ministerial committee last month approved a list of 450 PA terrorists, including a significant number with "blood on their hands" to be released in exchange for Shalit.
