Egypt has demanded that Hamas immediately release a captured Israeli soldier to avoid a worsening crisis in the violence-battered Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials and Arab diplomats said Tuesday. The Egyptian demand came in a "strongly worded letter" from Egypt's powerful intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to the Syrian-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the letter. The letter also demanded Hamas cooperate fully with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in forming a national unity government, a step that has been stalled by the militant group's refusal to form an administration that recognizes Israel.The message reflected increasing impatience with Hamas by Egypt, which has been mediating for months, trying to reach a deal on a prisoner swap for the release of Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who is being held by Hamas-allied militants in Gaza. "The leadership has received the Egyptian letter today and is studying it," said a Hamas official close to Mashaal. "They are studying it carefully before they send back their response," he told the Associated Press from Damascus.
Israeli Channel 10 television reported earlier Tuesday that the letter carried a warning that if Shalit was not released by the end of the month Israel would launch a series of deep incursions into Gaza aimed at Hamas organizational targets and at high ranking Hamas figures. The Hamas official in Damascus said the letter contained no such warning and "no ultimatum what so ever, but its content was quite clear." Another Palestinian official in Cairo said Suleiman's letter was "strongly worded."
"He told them enough is enough and they should release the soldier immediately," he said.