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Egypt-Israel prisoner exchange deal due for completion

February 17, 2014 at 11:14 pm

Sources in Israel claim that the prisoner exchange deal between Tel Aviv and Cairo is close to completion. The deal will see the release of Israeli spy Ouda Tarabin, who has been detained in Egypt for nearly 11 years. Hebrew radio quoted sources close to Yisrael Hasson, the Knesset member negotiating on behalf of the Israelis.


The unnamed sources said that there has been significant progress in the negotiations between Israel and Egypt to complete a second prisoner exchange deal following the release of Israeli spy Elan Gharabil. An unknown number of Egyptians held in Israeli jails will be released in exchange for Tarabin, who was arrested in 2000 on charges of espionage and spying for Israel’s intelligence service Mossad.

Yisrael Hasson is in Egypt at the moment and in contact with security officials in Cairo to speed up procedures so that the deal can be completed as soon as possible. Egypt acted as the intermediary for the recent Hamas-Israel prisoner exchange agreement in October.