Special report: Israel launches Gaza assault

    GAZA, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- A military wing of the ruling Hamas movement said on Saturday that progress had been made on a prisoners' swap deal to solve a hostage crisis.

    "There are signs for resolving the issue soon," said Abu Obaida, spokesman of Izz el-Deen al-Qassam, the armed wing of Hamas. But he warned that the success of the solution depended on whether Israelis accept demands of three Palestinian groups which abducted an Israeli soldier in late June.

    Abu Obaida attributed the progress to diplomatic efforts, especially meditation from the Egyptian side.

    Meanwhile, Abu Mujahed, spokesman of the Popular Resistance Committees, said in a statement that a major move was achieved after an earlier Egyptian proposal was amended "in a way that brought close views and complied with our people's aspirations."

    Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and the Islamic Army, which kidnapped Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid on June 25, demand that Israel release about 1,400 Palestinian prisoners, mostly children and women, in exchange for Shalit.

    Israel currently holds up to 10,000 Palestinians in prisons.