Israel Frees Top Hamas Prisoner
Israel Frees Top Hamas Prisoner

Israel released a former Hamas minister from prison and deported another one to Gaza on Wednesday. The latter refused, as of Wednesday evening, to enter Gaza; the IDF Spokesman's Office was checking into the situation as of Thursday morning.

Israel released former prisoner affairs minister Waspi Kabaha to his home in a village near Jenin, in northern Shomron. He was arrested three years ago and placed under administrative detention for six months. However, apparently in order to apply pressure for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, the orders were renewed several times, for six months each. It did not work, however, and Kabaha has now been freed – while Shalit remains in captivity, never having met with neutral observers since he was abducted nearly four years ago.

The Shalit family has not commented publicly on the development.

Kabaha’s release was overshadowed by the release of another PA prisoner at the same time: Ahmed Sabah. Jailed for nearly ten years, he was deported to Gaza – but refuses to go, complaining that his home is in Tul Karem, in the western Shomron east of Netanya. He is currently sitting and waiting at the Erez crossing point into Gaza.

Though he lived in Tul Karem, Sabah’s ID card was issued in Gaza.

There has been no news from Gilad Shalit ever since a videotape of him reading a message was given to Israel nearly seven months ago. A private initiative to raise awareness regarding the young soldier began this week. A wooden model of a tank, with a “Declaration of Independence” for Gilad, will travel throughout the country in an attempt to influence national and international public opinion on the issue.

No Gestures Until Shalit is Home

"We continue to enable free transfer of goods to Gaza," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said while touring the border area on Wednesday, "and we will not reach a humanitarian crisis situation there. However, Israel will not make further gestures and easings at the crossings as long as Hamas continues to hold Gilad Shalit."

Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal vowed this week that Hamas would abduct IDF soldiers and free the remaining Arab prisoners from Israeli jails.