Efforts to release kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Schalit are "semi-deadlocked" because of Israel's refusal to release Palestinian prisoners who are serving life sentences, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said Saturday. He said Israel rejected most of the names that appeared on Hamas's list of prisoners who were supposed to be released in a prisoner swap. "Israel doesn't want to release prisoners who are serving life terms," he said. "That's why the talks over the release of Schalit are now semi-deadlocked."
In an interview with Arab reporters who arrived in Syria to cover the 20th Arab summit, which began Saturday, the Damascus-based Hamas leader also said that his movement was prepared to reach a truce with Israel. However, he stressed that Hamas considers a truce as "one of the tactics" in managing the conflict. "We're not offering Israel a hudna [temporary truce]," he explained. "But we will accept a hudna if Israel abides by it. We want a hudna not only in the Gaza Strip, but in the West Bank as well."