299 Palestinian captives languishing in jails

299 Palestinian captives have been languishing in Israeli jails for over 20 years, the statistics bureau of the Palestinian ministry of captives' affairs reported.

The captives were imprisoned before the Oslo Accords, and Tel Aviv still refuses to release them inbreach of the very vows made after the Oslo accord.

The statistics came amid reports that a new round of talks on a prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israeli officials was due to start in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

Hamas Political Bureau chief Khaled Meshaal arrived in Cairo on Tuesday along with a delegation to discuss the prisoners swap deal with mediating Egyptian security officials, a senior Egyptian security official said.

Egypt has been mediating talks between Israel and Hamas over a prisoner deal that would see the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit -- seized in June 2006 -- in exchange for nearly 1,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

There are 44 Palestinian captives in Israeli jails who have spent more than a quarter of a century behind bars.