Islamic Hamas movement delegation headed by Gaza strongman Mahmoud al-Zahar returned to Gaza on Friday following quick visits to Egypt and Syria.

Palestinian sources closed to Hamas told Xinhua that al-Zahar and five other senior Hamas leaders "held important talks with senior Egyptian national security officials in Cairo, which tackled the issues of inter-Palestinian dialogue and Gilad Shalit."

On Thursday, the Hamas delegation suddenly headed to Cairo to hold talks with Egyptian mediators trying to finalize a prisoner swap deal between the movement and Israel.

Shalit was abducted by Hamas and two other Gaza armed groups ina cross-border attack on an Israeli military base southeast Gaza Strip in the summer of 2006.

Hamas has demanded the release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 450 who have carried out violent attacks against Israelis, in exchange for freeing Shalit.

The sources said that al-Zahar and his delegation also headed to Syria and held talks with Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal to discuss the same two issues.

"There were proposals exchanged with the Egyptian officials concerning the release of Shalit and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from the Israeli jails," said the sources, adding "these proposals were discussed in Syria."

There has been no Hamas comment on earlier reports published by al-Hayat Daily that Meshaal is expected to arrive in Egypt next week to sign the swap deal with Israel.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2009)