Gilad Shalit

Gilad Shalit
גלעד שליט
Shalit on the phone with his parents, after arriving in Israel on 18 October 2011
Born (1986-08-28) 28 August 1986 (age 38)
Nahariya, Israel
NationalityIsrael
France
EducationManor Kabri High School
OccupationSports columnist
Known forCaptured in Israel by Palestinian militants, and held for five years until released in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners.
AwardsHonorary citizen of Paris, Rome, Miami, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh
Military career
AllegianceIsrael
Service / branchIsraeli Army
RankSergeant First Class
UnitArmor Corps

Gilad Shalit (Hebrew: גלעד שליט, Gilˁad Šaliṭ listenⓘ; born 28 August 1986) is a former MIA soldier of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who, on 25 June 2006, was captured by Palestinian militants in a cross-border raid via tunnels near the Israeli border.[1][2] Hamas held him captive for over five years until his release on 18 October 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange deal.

During his captivity, Hamas rejected requests from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit Shalit, claiming that such visits could compromise his location. Several human rights organizations criticized this position, asserting that the conditions of Shalit's confinement were in violation of international humanitarian law. The Red Cross stated, "The Shalit family have the right under international humanitarian law to be in contact with their son."[3] In the early months, the sole means of communication was through an intermediary, who claimed that a low-ranking Hamas official, Ghazi Hamad, asked him to convey to Shalit's parents the assurance that Shalit was "alive and was treated according to Islam's laws regarding prisoners of war. In other words, he had been given shelter, food, and medical care."[4] The United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict called for Shalit's release in its September 2009 report.[5] In the G8's Deauville Declaration of May 27, 2011, they demanded Shalit's release.[6]

Many sources have categorized Shalit's capture as both a kidnapping and an abduction.[1][2][7][8][9] During his captivity, he was denied visits from the Red Cross and any communication with family members, both of which he was entitled to as a captured soldier under the Geneva Conventions. Furthermore, his captors demanded a form of ransom, although not necessarily of a monetary nature, in exchange for his release. The only instances of contact between Shalit and the outside world during his captivity, prior to his eventual release, consisted of three letters, an audio tape, and a DVD. These were provided to Israel in exchange for the release of 20 female Palestinian prisoners.[10]

Shalit was captured near the Kerem Shalom crossing in Israel and was held by Hamas at an undisclosed location within the Gaza Strip.[11] Hamas' initial demands, which included the release of all female and underage Palestinians, as well as Marwan Barghouti, were not met.[12][13] On 18 October 2011, Shalit was eventually released in a negotiated agreement, securing his freedom after more than five years in isolation and captivity. In exchange, 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released, some of whom were convicted of multiple murders and carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians. According to Israeli government sources, these released prisoners were collectively responsible for 569 Israeli deaths.[14][15][16][17][18]

Shalit became the first Israeli soldier to be captured by Palestinian militants since the incident involving Nachshon Wachsman in 1994.[19] Shalit held the rank of Corporal in the IDF's Armor Corps at the time of his capture, and he was subsequently promoted to Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, and Sergeant First Class just before his release.[20][21] He holds dual Israeli and French citizenship, the latter via his grandmother.[22]

  1. ^ a b "Hamas releases audio of captured Israeli". USA Today. 25 June 2007.
  2. ^ a b Levinson, Chaim (11 October 2011). "TIMELINE / 1,940 days from Gilad Shalit's abduction to his release". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
  3. ^ "PM vows to end jailed terrorists' privileges". The Jerusalem Post. 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 26 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  4. ^ "Report: Hamas leader Haniyeh sent Netanyahu a conciliatory message". Ynet.com. 18 February 2014. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference inquiry was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "The Deauville G-8 Declaration". whitehouse.gov (Press release). 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2011 – via National Archives.
  7. ^ "Commander of Shalit abduction killed by Israeli air strike". FRANCE 24. 9 March 2012. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  8. ^ "News from Israel, Ynetnews – Gaza kidnapping". Ynetnews. 25 June 2006. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Q&A: Gilad Shalit release deal". BBC News. 18 October 2011. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  10. ^ Calev Ben-David (21 December 2009). "Israel Orders More Talks on Shalit Prisoner Swap Deal (Update2)". Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  11. ^ Miskin, Maayana (26 October 2008). "Hamas Demands Release of Notorious Killers". Arutz Sheva. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  12. ^ Uri Avnery (November 2007). "Palestine's Mandela – New Internationalist". Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  13. ^ Matt Beynon Rees (6 January 2010). "Analysis: The "Palestinian Nelson Mandela". The Boise Weekly. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  14. ^ Army Radio newscast, 20 October 2011
  15. ^ "חוטפי שליט: הוא לא עונה, זכה לטיפול רפואי וצפה בטלוויזיה". הארץ. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  16. ^ [1] Archived 27 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Haaretz.co.il; accessed 14 October 2018.
  17. ^ , "[K]idnapped soldier Gilad Shalit" Archived 27 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, upi.com; accessed 14 October 2018.
  18. ^ "In Shalit deal, Israel did cross its own red lines", Haaretz.com, 14 October 2011.
  19. ^ "Israel seizes Hamas legislators". BBC. 29 June 2006. Archived from the original on 2 July 2006. Retrieved 29 June 2006.
     – Cpl Gilad Shalit, 19: First Israeli soldier abducted by Palestinians since 1994
     – Amnesty International, the human rights group, called for all hostages to be released [...].
  20. ^ "Parents of Gilad Shalit received their son's ranks of Staff Sergeant" Archived 7 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Ynet (20 June 1995). Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  21. ^ "Shalit Promoted to Rank of IDF Sergeant-major on Eve of Release". Haaretz. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
  22. ^ * Spencer, Richard (19 October 2011). "Israel: Gilad Shalit 'joked with military doctors over health'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.