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Talks to free soldier fail
27/06/2006 22:03 - (SA)
Jerusalem - Egyptian- and French-led
efforts to negotiate for the release of an Israeli soldier
abducted by Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip have failed,
Israeli television reported on Tuesday.
Quoting a source close to the mediators, Channel Two said
there was "zero chance" of recovering corporal Gilad Shalit through talks, bringing closer the prospect of a major Israeli
military sweep of Gaza.
But, a mediator reached by Reuters said it was too early to
call it quits.
"It will be a few hours yet until we know it is
hopeless," the mediator said on condition of anonymity.
Egypt, a key mediator during more than five years of
Israeli-Palestinian fighting, has been trying to defuse the
crisis sparked by Shalit's capture on Sunday.
The hostage also holds French citizenship, prompting Paris to join mediation efforts.
- Reuters
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