Israeli minister remains mum on Shalit

JERUSALEM, June 22 (UPI) -- Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Monday said he preferred not to make any statements regarding kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.

Three years after the 22-year-old soldier's abduction by Islamic militants, Israel is committed more then ever to securing his release, Barak told the Haaretz newspaper.

"We are committed to this issue and I have said before it is important to do everything possible to bring him home. The less I talk about it as defense minister, the better," Barak said.

The defense minister, returning to Jerusalem from a trip to Egypt, said a new negotiating team led by former Mossad operative Hagai Hadas is taking shape and expected to start work in the near future. He noted that Hadas had already met with Egyptian officials regarding Shalit.

Barak refused to comment on reports in the international and Arab press claiming a new deal to secure the soldier's release is in the making.

Haaretz said Egypt would like to see the negotiations start from where they left off under former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and have also requested that Israel reconsider demanding the exile of some of the Palestinian prisoners scheduled to be set free in any future deal.

To mark the third anniversary Shalit was taken captive, hundreds are expected to attend a rally at the Gaza border crossings Tuesday, where they will call for the soldier's release

Shalit was on operational duty near the Gaza border when he was and forcefully taken to Gaza where he has been held incommunicado ever since.