The Palestinian sources said that five residents were arrested in the Hebron area. The sources added that the other seven were arrested in Ramallah area.
According to the sources, they were arrested after the Israeli security forces carried a thorough search in their houses.
The Israeli security sources said that the detainees were taken to unknown locations for questioning by the Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet. The sources added that the raids in Palestinian territories only targeted “wanted Palestinian terrorists.”
Israeli defense establishment says the almost daily arrest campaigns in Palestinian territories are part of its war against Palestinian armed groups.
Since December 2009, the German mediator and Egypt had failed to finalize the prisoners’ swap deal between Hamas and Israel due to the two sides’ differences.
Hamas wants Israel to free up to 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons in exchange for the release of Shalit, and the Palestinian movement has reportedly presented a list of 450 names in Israeli prisons.
Israel also objects to freeing Israeli Arab prisoners as well as several Hamas military wing leaders.
According to the recent Palestinian statistics, there are 6,700 Palestinians currently held in 10 prisons and 3 detention camps in Israel and in the West Bank. There are 300 prisoners under the age of 18. Israel also holds 37 females and 13 members of the PLC.
Meanwhile, the former Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said that he failed while in office to secure the release of Shalit.
Speaking at the spoke at the Israeli University of Bar Ilan, Ashkenazi said that “we have to admit that we do not have the ability to use military force to free Gilad. My biggest fantasy was to see a helicopter land at Erez crossing (on the border between Israel and Gaza Strip), with Gilad in it, and calling his parents to tell them we got him back.”
He added that “Hamas has Shalit hidden in such a way that we cannot locate him. We don’t know where he is. If we fail to manufacture a military option for his release, we have to admit it and pay a reasonable price for his return.”
