Egyptian forces at the Rafiah crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip have been heavily reinforced in recent days, an indication of preparations to transfer kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit to Egyptian custody. So reports "Voice of Palestine" radio, based on Egyptian sources.
An announcement was made over the weekend that the German mediator in the Shalit deal will meet in the middle of this week with Hamas leaders in Gaza to receive the terror group's reply to the proposed deal which would exchange Shalit for convicted Arab terrorists. Previous reports had suggested the meeting would take place in Cairo, Egypt.
The Egyptian sources expressed a belief that the deal would go through.
Conservative American television network "Fox" reported on Friday that the deal to retrieve Shalit will likely be completed next week, after Prime Minister Netanyahu returns from Germany. It was also reported that Israel and Arab terror organizations are still divided over the countries to where freed terrorists from eastern Jerusalem will be deported.