Shalit deal has strengthened Hamas and was an important pawn in the movement hands, declared Deputy Hamas Politburo Chief, Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk.

Shalit deal has strengthened Hamas and was an important pawn in the movement hands, declared Deputy Hamas Politburo Chief, Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk.

"The pawn has served its purpose. There is no doubt that the high number of prisoners released has strengthened the movement's position in Palestinian society as well as future trust in Hamas," Marzouk said in an interview with the London-published al-Hayat newspaper.

He also said that the deal has increased Hamas' political prestige. However, he noted that the movement did not abduct Shalit in order to keep him as a pawn and stressed that Shalit's kidnapping was only meant to do one thing: Lead to the release of prisoners.
"From the start Hamas separated the political aspect of the issue."

Over the claims that Hamas decided to sign on to a deal with Israel at this point because of Mahmoud Abbas' rising popularity over his UN speech in September, Abu Marzouk said: “"This is not a competition. The deal was a national event as it includes the release of prisoners sentenced to life sentences and so there was no internal rivalry."

Abbas' call for elections and said that the meaning of such a call was that the elections would not happen peacefully as they do not reflect the true and free opinions of the citizens.