U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, met Wednesday in New York with Noam Shalit, father of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
In a statement she released following the meeting Rice wrote, “I was honored to meet with Noam Shalit today, 1,900 days after his son, Gilad, was taken captive. During this period, Hamas has held Gilad hostage and without access by the International Committee of the Red Cross, in violation of international humanitarian standards and basic decency.”
Rice said she told Noam Shalit of the solidarity of the United States with him and his family, and added, “As I have said repeatedly in the UN Security Council, Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release Gilad Shalit.”