Region | Palestinian Territories
Hezbollah ally says Israel swap deal may be close
A Lebanese political leader allied to Hezbollah indicated on Tuesday that a prisoner swap deal between the militant Islamic group and Israel may be close.
- Agencies
- Published: 19:24 June 17, 2008
Beirut: A Lebanese political leader allied to Hezbollah indicated on Tuesday that a prisoner swap deal between the militant Islamic group and Israel may be close.
"We know that the deal to release the prisoners may be under completion," Michel Aoun told reporters in Beirut. He gave no further details.
Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack in July 2006 to exchange them for Lebanese and Arab prisoners.
Israel waged a 34-day offensive in Lebanon after the two army reservists were snatched, but then entered indirect talks on retrieving them, albeit clouded by doubts over whether they were alive.
Relatives of one of the two captive soldiers said on Monday they had been told by an Israeli negotiator that a German-mediated prisoner swap was coming together.
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