Hopes raised for release of captured Israeli

One of the three Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip holding a captured Israeli soldier said today that it expected a solution…

One of the three Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip holding a captured Israeli soldier said today that it expected a solution to the crisis within days.

The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) said in a statement that the three groups had agreed on an Egyptian proposal for the release of Gilad Shalit that would also see an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel.

The PRC said the deal now depended on the Israelis, who made no immediate comment.