Hamas is planning to take advantage of the relative calm in Gaza to arrange additional kidnappings of Israeli soldiers, according to a report by Israel Radio quoting an article published Sunday in Hamas’ Al-Resalah newspaper.
The report said that Hamas would potentially perpetrate the abductions to attain additional bargaining chips in the event that Gilad Shalit is killed during Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas newspaper report added that the past five years in which they have held Shalit hostage will prove helpful in the organization fulfilling its goal.
The report has not been verified by any other source, Israel Radio said.
Hamas’s talk of potential additional kidnappings appears to be psychological pressure intended to pressure Israel to accelerate efforts to complete the Shalit-deal, Israel Radio said.
Gilad Shalit was kidnapped in June 2006 during a cross-border raid and has been held in Gaza since then. Sporadic third-party negotiations between Israel and Hamas have not yet yielded any results, despite pressure put on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the Shalit family, which is currently sitting in a protest tent outside the prime minister’s home.
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