Hamas wants Egypt out in Shalit deal

JERUSALEM, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Hamas wants to replace Egypt as the third-party intermediary in its efforts to negotiate a prisoner swap involving Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, sources say.

Ynetnews reported Monday tensions are growing between Hamas and Egypt because Egypt sees the Palestinian militant group as a potential ally of its own Islamic opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, a Hamas source told the Arabic-language London newspaper al-Sharq al-Aswat.

Ynetnews says according to the newspaper report, Hamas believes Egypt is dragging its feet in facilitating a deal for Shalit, who was kidnapped by Islamic militants more than two years ago. Its source says Hamas wants to replace Egypt with Germany in the negotiations.

"Egypt views Hamas in the Gaza Strip as a strategic danger rather than as strategic ammunition, and thus fears the Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip and believes it damages its national security," Walid al-Mudalal, a political science lecturer and a political commentator, told the Web site.