Hamas' deputy politburo chief Moussa Abu Marzouk denies receiving a videotape showing the captured soldier Gilad Shalit during his recent visit to the Gaza Strip.
In an interview to the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat, Abu Marzouk said he had arrived in the Strip in order to meet his family members and did not meet with any leaders from the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing.
Abu Mazouk also denied receiving a letter written by Shalit. "I have no information about him and I don’t know if he's alive or dead. The factions holding him know his fate, and they won't provide any information about him without a price.
"The prisoner exchange issue is in Cairo's hands and there is nothing new on this matter, even if Israel is sending other mediators to us," he said.
According to the Hamas leader, Israel is using other channels as well in a bid to secure Shalit's release.
"Israel is sending English mediators and then German, French, Russian and Arab mediators… But we stress that this issue is in Cairo's hands and that we won't release Shalit unless all the 450 prisoners were demand are freed, in addition to 550 others, including minors, women, ministers and parliament members."
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