During an attack of Palestinian militants on an Israeli army post on the Israeli side of the southern Gaza Strip border on the morning of the 25th of June, 2006, Gilad Schalit, a young Israeli soldier, was captured and has been held hostage by Hamas ever since.  Despite negotiations and talks during the past two years, Gilad has yet to come back home.

To Read Gilad’s letter from June 9, 2008, click on http://www.habanim.org/images/personal/gilad_letter.pdf

To hear Gilad’s voice message click on:   Gilad’s voice message

 

Gilad (21) was born on 08/28/1986. He is the son of Aviva and Noam Schalit from Mitzpe Hilla in the Western Galilee and the brother of Yoel (24) and Hadas (17).

Gilad was born in Nahariya but was raised from the age of two in Mitzpe Hilla. He went to the regional elementary school in Maona and to junior high in Kfar Veradim. He graduated with distinction from the science class of “Manor Kabri” high school. Gilad loves mainly math and sports. He has enjoyed playing basketball ever since he was a child, but is interested in sports in general. He follows the different leagues and tournaments all over the world, from tennis and basketball to cycling and athletics. If you wish to know the results of a tournament somewhere in the world – it’s Gilad you should ask.

Gilad began his military service at the end of July 2005. He preferred to serve in a combat unit despite the fact that he could have avoided combat duty due to a low medical profile. He followed his elder brother Yoel into the armored forces. Yoel had finished his service a year earlier. Gilad was highly motivated. He overcame all the obstacles facing a combat recruit of the armored forces and successfully ended his training a few months ago. For the last couple of months he has been on duty guarding and ensuring the security of the settlements around Gaza.

Gilad is a well-mannered, quiet and introverted young man. An almost permanent shy and hesitant smile light up his face. Gilad is always volunteering to help everyone; even on his short vacations from the army he helped his parents run their “Bed & Breakfast”.

Since the attack at Kerem Shalom on Sunday, 06/25/2006, Gilad has been held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas.

Gilad - Mother and Father, Yoel and Hadas and all the family and all your friends miss you terribly and wish to see you and your smile already and to embrace you in a strong and loving embrace.

The Abduction

On Sunday, 06/25/2006, at 05:40 in the morning, a terrorist group of several Palestinians crossed the border south of the Gaza Strip into Israel through a tunnel near Kerem Shalom and attacked an army facility that was within the sovereign territory of Israel.

The force numbered 8-armed Palestinians. It penetrated about a hundred meters into Israeli territory and split into three groups. The first group shot at an armored car that stood there. It was empty so no one was hurt. The second group attacked an IDL post manned by soldiers of the Desert Patrol. This attack included explosives and gunfire from light weapons which wounded three Israeli soldiers. At the same time at least one rocket was fired and grenades were thrown at a tank positioned in the area. The tank was manned by four soldiers one of whom was Gilad Schalit. The missile hit the rear end of the tank causing the death of its commander and an additional soldier. One soldier was wounded.
Gilad Schalit, the fourth soldier in the tank, was wounded in the shoulder and was abducted from the tank and taken by the terrorists to the Gaza strip.

Gilad’s abductors were members of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Palestinian governing party Hamas), the Popular Resistance Committees (which includes members of Fatah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas), and the Army of Islam.

On Monday, 06/26/2006, the Palestinians declared they were willing to give information about Gilad in return for the release of all female and under 18 years old security prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

On Saturday, 07/01/2006, the Palestinians demanded an additional 1000 prisoners be released.

Two days later they set a 24-hour ultimatum. A few hours later Israel stated that it would not cede to the terrorists’ demands.

There is no information as to Gilad’s welfare as for now.