Ankara  - The Turkish government has sent a delegation to Damascus to meet exiled Hamas leaders in an attempt to secure the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, CNN-Turk reported on Friday.

CNN-Turk said the delegation had hopes Shalit would be released in the shortest possible time.

Shalit was captured near Gaza in a cross-border raid by Hamas militants in June 2006. Israel has insisted that it will not agree to any long-term truce in the Gaza Strip if Shalit is not released.

Turkish officials have been in contact with Hamas leaders for a number of years and have played an active role in trying to organize a long-term truce in Gaza.

After being criticized for its supposedly pro-Hamas line during the Israeli military operations, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan last week called on Hamas to make a decision as to whether it is an "armed group or a political movement." dpa