Freeing prisoners will be a mistake: Olmert

The comments of Olmert and Mashaal signalled a deadlock in the current crisis over Shalit8217;s June 25 capture, with no end in sight to the Israeli incursion in Gaza that has killed more than 54 Palestinians since it was launched on June 28. There have been reports that Egyptian and Turkish mediators were close to brokering a deal, but the two sides appeared to still be far apart.

Three militants were killed in two Israeli air strikes on Monday, and five people, including an 8-year-old girl, were wounded when an Israeli missile targeted a car the army said was filled with explosives. Despite the Israeli offensive, militants launched three rockets into Israel on Sunday, wounding one person in the Israeli town of Sderot.

In his first public appearance since the crisis erupted, the Syria-based Mashaal insisted Israel must free some prisoners before Shalit can be released. 8216;8216;The Palestinian people are united on insisting the prisoner soldier be traded for prisoners in Israeli jails,8217;8217; he told a news conference.