Israel: Iran 'blocked' soldier-release deal
Israel has accused the Iranian government of paying around £25m (€37.3m) to Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal to block a deal that would have freed an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas-linked militants who crossed from Gaza into Israel on June 25.
Israel’s UN ambassador Dan Gillerman told the UN Security Council “we heard news” earlier in the day that Tehran bribed Mashaal, “to sabotage the negotiations on the release of Corporal Gilad Shalit and prevent his release".
