Hamas won’t deliver letters to or from Gilad Schalit

Group official denies reports that Red Cross had recently delivered letters from the family to captive Israeli soldier.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Hamas said on Monday that it will not deliver letters from the family of Gilad Schalit to the abducted IDF soldier, or those from him to them.
The announcement was made by Osama al-Mazini, a Hamas political operative, who also said that there was “nothing new” regarding mediation efforts to reach a prisoner-swap agreement between Hamas and Israel.
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“There’s nothing new on this matter and the case is closed until the occupation accepts the just humanitarian demands of the factions that are holding Schalit,” the Hamas official said.
He denied reports that the International Committee of the Red Cross had recently delivered letters from the family to Schalit. He again scoffed at Israel for failing to gather information about the whereabouts of the soldier.
The Hamas official said that the Germans have not resumed their mediation efforts and French President Nicolas Sarkozy had backtracked on the idea of serving as a mediator.