The three terror groups involved in the abduction said in a statement that no information would be provided about the soldier unless Israel agreed to release females and youth under age 18 who are being held in Israeli jails.
The deal was detailed in a pamphlet released to media outlets on Monday and signed by Hamas’ military wing, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and a new organization, the Army of Islam. Both the PRC and the Army of Islam are offshoots of Hamas.
Shalit was wounded and kidnapped early Sunday morning during a raid on an IDF outpost at the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Egypt and Gaza. Eight terrorists crawled through a tunnel under the border fence from Gaza into Israel and attacked three different targets during the operation. One of those was the tank which contained Shalit along with two soldiers who died and a fourth who was also wounded, now in stable condition at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz immediately issued a harsh warning just hours after the kidnapping to both the abductors and PA leaders. Peretz told reporters, “I want to tell everyone involved, anyone who has a role in deciding on the soldier’s condition, that as far as we are concerned, we will take revenge against anyone who injures the soldier, including their leaders.”
Israel has refused to negotiate with the terrorists. “We are dealing with bringing Gilad home,” stated Justice Minister Haim Ramon. “We have no intention of negotiating with Hamas on a prisoner exchange,” he said.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told reporters again on Monday that he holds the Palestinian Authority responsible for the life of the kidnapped soldier. He also informed a closed Knesset committee meeting that he would not negotiate with the terrorists. According to the Kuwait News Agency, Israel has given the PA 48 hours to return Shalit before launching a massive assault on Gaza.
“I gave the orders to our military commanders to prepare the army for a broad and ongoing military operation to strike the terrorist leaders and all those involved,” Olmert said. “It should be clear. There will be immunity for no one.”
Meanwhile, there are growing concerns that Shalit may not be safe much longer.
Former PA Minister of Prisoner Affairs Sufian Abu Zaida warned in an interview on Army Radio on Monday that the IDF had no chance of rescuing the young soldier in a military operation.
“Even if the IDF knew where the soldier was, which apartment he was in and even in which room he was placed,” Abu Zaida, “there would be zero chance of rescuing the soldier alive in a military operation.”