The Shalit family has marked the birthday of the young Israeli soldier's second year in captivity. Gilad Shalit was born 28 August1986 and is now 21 years old.
Shalit, who is a member of the IDF'sArmor Corps, and holds the rank of corporal, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on 25 June2006. He is the first Israeli soldier kidnapped by Arabs since Nachshon Wachsman in 1994 and he is one of three Israeli soldiers to have been abducted during the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon during the summer of 2006 (the other two being Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev).