Released Hamas terrorists Mahmoud Abu Tir received a hero's welcome in the village of Umm Tuba near Jerusalem upon his release from an Israeli prison, where he finished serving a four year sentence. Abu Tir said that he “disapproved” of Hamas' continued imprisonment of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, just as he disliked being a prisoner himself. Abu Tir blamed Israel for failing to be more “realistic” in making a deal to free Shalit.
Abu Tir was captured nearly four years ago along with several dozen other Hamas terrorists and politicians, partially to be used as part of a deal to free Shalit.