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Illustrative photo of a Palestinian man reuniting with relatives after being released from an Israeli prison (Flash90)
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| By Israel Insider staff October 15, 2007 |
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Palestinian Authorities were outraged after Egypt released a top Hamas operative on Sunday who was wanted by the PA for his involvement in terror attacks.
"The Egyptians have clearly changed their policy toward Hamas," the Jerusalem Post quoted a PA official as saying.
The Hamas operative, Nahro Massoud, a commander of the group's armed wing, Izzadin Kassam, had fled to Egypt over a year ago, and was being held without trial by the Egyptian authorities as per the PA's request.
"Unfortunately the Egyptians turned down our request to extradite Massoud and his gang," another official said. "Now they are releasing him unconditionally and without even informing us. This man should be brought to trial for his role in the assassination of Col. Musat and other crimes."
However it is unclear whether Massoud's release is related to an Egyptian-brokered back channel deal to free Gilad Schalit, an IDF soldier abducted by Hamas in 2006.
Meanwhile, a Saudi newspaper, Al Watan, reported on Monday that Israel was considering a prisoner swap with Hezbollah to secure the release of abducted reservists Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. The paper alleged that the deal was expected to take place within the next few days.
Hezbollah vehemently denied the report, claiming that it was just a ploy to extract information from the group about the reservists' welfare and whereabouts.
"Hizbullah will not answer such reports, which are no more than media and intelligence manipulations, the purpose of which is to elicit some statement regarding the soldiers' fate," a spokesperson told the Lebanese English language paper Daily Star, the paper reported.
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