Senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar said Monday that the deal to release captive Israeli occupation soldier Gilad Schalit will only go ahead on Hamas’ terms

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar said Monday that the deal to release captive Israeli occupation soldier Gilad Schalit will only go ahead on Hamas' terms.

Al-Zahar warned that "the occupation must understand that all its attempts over the last five years have failed even when faced with the patience of Hamas and the Palestinian people."

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday appointed senior Mossad official David Meidan as the new Israeli mediator to negotiate the release of Schalit, following the recent resignation of former mediator Hagai Hadas.

Netanyahu informed Schalit’s parents, Noam and Aviva, of the new appointment at a late-night meeting he held with them, accompanied by his wife, Sara.

“I assure you that in the coming days and weeks, we will continue to operate by all the means that we have to bring about the release of Gilad,” Netanyahu said.