CAIRO, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal reportedly has vetoed an Egyptian-brokered prisoner swap involving a captured Israeli soldier and Palestinian prisoners.
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Israel's Infrastructure minister, told reporters in Cairo that despite the setback his country had no intention of invading Gaza to free army Cpl. Gilad Shalit, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Ben-Eliezer said his government "accepted and respected" the proposed prisoner trade but Hamas and Mashaal backed out at the last minute.
Earlier Thursday, Palestinian Interior Minister Said Siyam blamed Israel for failure to come to an agreement regarding Shalit's release, saying it had demanding the soldier be released "without giving anything in return," the Post said.
