Special report: Israel launches Gaza assault

    RAMALLAH, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Jerusalem-based daily Al-Quds reported on Tuesday that negotiations have reached an advance point over a prisoners-exchange swap between Palestinians and Israelis, while Hamas denied it.

    "There were negotiations that reached an advanced point to release the captive Israeli soldier held in Gaza for the release of a group of Palestinian prisoners," Nabil Shaath, member of the Central Committee of the Fatah movement led by Palestinian President Mohammad Abbas, was quoted as saying.

    Shaath said that the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released might reach to 700.

    According to the daily, the negotiations also included mutual ceasefire to stop the Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip that erupted after three Palestinian militant groups captured Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit and killed two other soldiers on June 25.

    However, Mushi al-Masri, spokesman for the Palestinian governing Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza, denied Shaath's statements, saying "there has been no progress made on the case of the soldier." Enditem