Defense Minister Beni Gantz paid tribute to Noam Shalit, who passed away after a battle with a serious illness:
'Noam Shalit is gone. I was sorry to hear that Noam, who had not for a moment given up hope of seeing his son again, passed away after a struggle with a serious illness. As Chief of Staff, I talked a lot with Noam during the years he worked to bring Gilad back from captivity. Along with the struggle he waged, I was always impressed by the care he showed towards society as a whole and his sensitivity to IDF soldiers. May he be of blessed memory,' said Gantz.