Noam Shalit, the father of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, said that he thinks his son's statement on a Hamas tape that his health is deteriorating is a "spin" by Hamas. However, he is sure that the voice on the tape is that of his son.

The father of the soldier also stated that he hopes the release of the tape is a sign that Hamas wants to progress with negotiations for freeing his son. He discounted the significance of his son's taped speech that Israel should release prisoners and terrorists for his freedom because the soldier may have made the statement under duress.