Turkey continues efforts to free Israeli hostage Shalit from Hamas

The delegation headed by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s foreign policy advisor, Ahmet Davutoglu, is meeting exiled leaders of Hamas in Damascus.

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The delegation is lobbying Hamas for the release Israeli soldier Shalit during its meetings in Syria, after Turkish officials recently engaged in mediation between Hamas and Israel on the issue.Â

 

Shalit was captured in a cross border raid on the crossing Kerem Shalom from the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants in 2006 and has been held hostage by Hamas ever since. He is the first Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants since Nachshon Wachsman in 1994.

 

Hamas has demanded that Israel release 1,400 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit. Diplomats however say Israel is likely to free closer to 1,000.

 

The Turkish delegation is also expected to brief officials from both Syria and Hamas on Wednesday's Istanbul meetings between Turkish officials and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, whose country mediates for a lasting truce after Israel’s devastating three-week war on the Gaza Strip.