CAIRO, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Egypt has stepped up efforts to arrange a deal in which Palestinian prisoners would be exchanged for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, a report says.
Egypt sought to get Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal to soften his demands for the release of 1,400 jailed Palestinians in exchange for Shalit, the Voice of America reported.
Israeli spokesman Mark Regev said Israel would not give in to "terrorist blackmail."
The Egyptian team, led by intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, was scheduled to arrive in Israel for talks next week.
Moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah party has also been pushing Hamas to release the Israeli soldier.
Mashaal told a news conference in Cairo Saturday Western powers would have six months to seize on "the historic chance" to settle the Middle East conflict once a national unity cabinet was formed in Lebanon between Hamas and Fatah.
If progress is not made, the Palestinian Authority could collapse and Palestinians would launch "a third intifada" against Israel and its allies, Mashaal said.
