A Hamas policeman walks past a mural depicting the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit (C), who has been held by Hamas-linked militants in Gaza since 2006, in Gaza City, November 2, 2009. A senior Palestinian National Authority (PNA) official revealed on Wednesday that the prisoners swap deal between Hamas movement and Israel mediated by Germany will be finalized soon. [Xinhua]

A senior Palestinian National Authority (PNA) official revealed on Wednesday that the prisoners swap deal between Hamas movement and Israel mediated by Germany will be finalized soon.

Eassa Qaraqea, minister of prisoners' affairs in the government of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, expected that the deal to free captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be finalized within 10 days.

He told Xinhua in an interview that the prisoners swap deal between Israel and Hamas has reached its final stages, adding that "differences are narrower now, and talks are focusing on a few remaining names."

Hamas movement and Israel are imposing secrecy on the swap deal, where Hamas demands the release of 1,000 prisoners to release captive Israeli soldier Shalit who has been held in Hamas captivity since June 2006.

"The German mediator who runs the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas is still exerting efforts to overcome the remaining differences," said Qaraqea, adding that "the deal is imminent unless Israel puts new obstacles."

Senior Hamas officials had earlier told Xinhua that the differences between Hamas and Israel are on about 51 prisoners whom Israel insists not to include in the list to release from its jails.

"Israel still refuses to free some prisoners and even refuses to expel them outside the Palestinian territories, the thing which obstructs reaching a deal," said Qaraqea.

He expressed hope that the deal "would represent a breakthrough and reopen the closed crossings and end the blockade that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than three years."

The Palestinian minister denied there has been any coordination between his ministry in Ramallah and Hamas movement in Gaza. However, he said the PNA is closely following the major development in the deal.

He expressed readiness that his ministry would contact Hamas movement in Gaza and offer any consultation in order to finalize the deal.

He denied earlier Israeli media reports which said that Fatah leader Marwan al-Barghouti and the leader of the Popular Front to Liberate Palestine (PFLP) Ahmed Sadat had asked to be deported after their release.

"There are a number of prisoners that will be expelled to other countries. This subject hasn't been closed yet between Israel and Hamas," said Qaraqea, adding that all the prisoners in Israeli jails are living in a status of suspense.

"We hope that the deal will succeed in releasing hundreds of prisoners," said Qaraqea.

(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2009)