A former Palestinian inmate released in exchange for a videotape of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit called for the kidnapping of more Israeli soldiers.Rawda Habib, was arrested two and a half years ago and returned to her home in the Gaza Strip Sunday, the Palestinian Maan news agency said. Habib, who acted on behalf of the Islamic Jihad, planned to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel, the Yedioth Aharonoth newspaper reported.
At a press conference organized on her behalf in Gaza, Habib called on the Palestinian resistance groups to kidnap more Israel soldiers saying it was the only way to achieve the release of all the Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, the newspaper said.
Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman expressed optimism that a deal to secure Shalit's release could be obtained within two to three months, the newspaper said. "Never have we been so close to a deal," Yedioth Aharonoth quoted him saying.