| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Militants cave in on hostage ultimatum |
| 2006-07-05 |
| THE captors of Israeli corporal Gilad Shalit have reneged on their ultimatum to end negotiations about his fate, vowing yesterday they did not plan to harm him. Palestinian officials described the deadline of 6am Tuesday set by militants for Israel to agree to a prisoner swap as "a negotiating strategy". They claimed the captured soldier remained alive and well and that they would continue their attempts to win his release. More Israeli tanks entered northern Gaza last night, but nine days after the start of Operation Summer Rains, a full-scale invasion had yet to be launched. Israeli forces remained confined to two small communities in the north and the derelict airport at the southern end of the strip. The Israeli military said it would expand the Gaza operation by laying siege to vacant fields near the airstrip that had been used to launch home-made rockets at Israel. The Palestinian Government said it hoped to complain before the International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague about the Israeli offensive, arguing that the heavy toll the attack had taken on civilian infrastructure broke international law. But Israel claims every aspect of its operation is legally valid and says it plans to intensify military activity. Israeli leaders have repeatedly said they will never negotiate on a prisoner swap. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 The Palestinian Government said it hoped to complain It being their day job and all. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-05 18:04 |