The negotiations to secure the release of three Italian hostages in Iraq have come to a crunch and the next 48 hours will be crucial, local media reported Wednesday.

According to the report that an Italian intelligence source said talks to free three Italian hostages in Iraq "had come to a turning point," and "today and tomorrow are crucial days, 48 decisive hours."

Contacts between Italian intelligence and the hostage takers had received "special impetus" in the last few hours, the source said, adding that "furthermore, after days, we have had indications that all three are alive."

Another local report said that the head of Italian Red Cross operations in Iraq Maurizio Scelli denied Wednesday that his organization had taken ransom money to an Iraqi group holding three Italian hostages.

"Whoever is writing these reports is placing our lives at risk. We went to Falluja despite warnings not to go there and we ran risk doing so. We certainly wouldn't have made the mistake of taking money with us and ruin everything," Scelli said from Baghdad.

The Italian Red Cross convoy arrived in Falluja on Tuesday, carrying medicine and humanitarian aid. Scelli said another convoy would arrive Thursday.

Source: Xinhua