Hamas: Talks to free Schalit are currently 'comatose'

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit are "comatose," Army Radio reported a senior Hamas official as having said on Friday. "The negotiations are comatose until the new Israeli government renews them," Osama al-Mazini, the Hamas official responsible for the Schalit matter was quoted as saying. "I cannot say that a prisoner swap deal is dead when [Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu] the extremist is in office," he continued. "The Zionist enemy has no other choice, given that all other attempts to free Schalit have failed." In what may be a pessimistic sign for future progress in talks, al-Mazini added that the group would "not change its demands and would not show more flexibility."