Hamas urges Egypt to include Palestinians in the swap

The Islamic Hamas movement Sunday urged Egypt to include Palestinian prisoners among Egyptians who would be released in exchange for a suspected Israeli spy held by the Egyptian authorities. "We are in contact with Egyptian officials to include Palestinian prisoners in the swap," said Khalil Al-Hayya, a Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip. On Saturday, Egyptian state media said that an agreement had almost been reached between Israel and Egypt to release some 20 Egyptians in exchange for Ilan Grapel, an Israeli-U.S. dual national, whom Egypt has accused of spying and inciting chaos in Egypt and has been held in Cairo since June. Al-Hayya's remarks came days after Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Israel exchanged prisoners as part of an agreement Egypt has successfully brokered between the two sides. On Tuesday, Israel retrieved its soldier Gilad Shalit, who spent five years in a Hamas captivity, and freed 477 Palestinian prisoners. Within two months, Israel would release 550 prisoners as the second stage.