GAZA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Norwegian security official visited the Gaza Strip and met Hamas leaders to talk about the issue of prisoner exchange between Israel and the Islamic movement, sources said Tuesday.

    The visit took place "last week" after German negotiators joined Egyptian mediators who have been trying to draw up a prisoner swap deal since Hamas captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006, the sources told Xinhua.

    "The talks focused on the number of Palestinian prisoners that Israel would expel to some European countries including Norway," the sources said.

    Hamas used to reject proposals to deport the prisoners to be freed under the swap. But reports said things started to move on when Germany, which sponsored two prisoner exchange deals between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group, started its mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas.

    According to the sources, Israel will free 450 prisoners as soon as Shalit is handed to the Egyptian authorities and another 550 prisoners will be released once the soldier arrives in Israel.

Special Report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts