DAMASCUS: Hamas Chief Khaled Meshaal has accused Israel of obstructing a prisoner exchange that would include an Israeli soldier held captive for nearly four years, a senior official of the Palestinian Islamist group said on Wednesday.
Meshaal, who lives in Syrian exile, made the remark to visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday, Ezzat Al-Risheq said.
Medvedev was on a visit to the country and, during a meeting with Meshaal, asking for Shalit’s release.
A prisoner exchange deal has "failed because of the obstinacy of (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu," Risheq quoted Meshaal as telling the Russian leader.
"Netanyahu went back on the accords the two parties had reached through the intermediation of the German mediator," Risheq added, without elaborating.
"Hamas wants the operation to succeed and is ready to accept any serious intermediation, because we hope to free the largest number possible of prisoners held in Israeli jails," he added.
Negotiations for a possible exchange appeared to hit a dead end in December, when Israel presented an offer through a German mediator to which Hamas has yet to officially respond.
Each side has blamed the other over the stalled talks.
In March, Netanyahu said he remained ready to agree a swap for Shalit, but added that he was opposed to the release of some prisoners who had become "symbols of terrorism" because of the nature of their offences.
Hamas and two smaller groups captured Shalit in a deadly cross-border raid in June 2006. They are believed to be holding him in a secret location in the Gaza Strip, ruled by Hamas since June 2007.
