Meshaal has been running the Hamas "diplomatic desk" out of Damascus for several years, though there have been reports that he is now hiding out somewhere in north Africa. The Arabic London-based Al-Hayat newspaper reports that Meshaal now says that Hamas is willing to show some flexibility and agree to the Egyptian mediation proposal.
Egypt has suggested that the soldier be released immediately, in return for Israel's agreement to release Arab prisoners in the future.
Meshaal's deputy Abu Marzuk is reported as saying that Hamas will not cede its demand for the release of prisoners. It is estimated that some 10,000 PA terrorists are incarcerated in Israel.
Noam Shalit, Gilad's soft-spoken father, spoke with a spokesman for Hamas terror group Izaddin El Kassam this morning. The conversation was facilitated by the Arab-Jewish Voice of Peace radio station in Jerusalem. Shalit asked that his son not be harmed, and said, "I repeat what I said yesterday, which is just that there's no reason for any further suffering, and we could end this today." He said yesterday that the abductors should allow a third-party such as the Red Cross to meet with his son.
The Hamas spokesman, Abu Abeida, responded in Arabic, "We have submitted our demands, and Israel can respond and negotiate with us... What does Israel demand?" Noam Shalit said, "I am not a spokesman for the government of Israel."
The Victims of Arab Terror organization has written to the International Red Cross, demanding to know why it has not been more forceful in demanding to see the kidnapped soldier. "Israel always agrees to allow the Red Cross to see imprisoned terrorists," VAT head Shifra Hoffman told Arutz-7. "We have not received a single sign of life from Gilad Shalit. Why is the Red Cross not making similar demands to see this soldier, who is suffering in captivity?"
Arutz-7 contacted the Gaza office of the International Red Cross, and asked Gaza sub-delegation chief Georgis Georgantas this question. Georgantas said that Shalit is being held in an undisclosed place by elements who have not been clearly specified. The Red Cross had therefore made it clear to "various interlocutors," Georgantas said, that "we are ready to visit the soldier."
Asked if the precise wording of the request could be seen, Georgantas said that it had been delivered orally.
Georgantas refused to explain why the Red Cross does not contact the Hamas government directly.
Israel's Magen David Adom (Red Star of David), newly accepted into the International Red Cross, has sent a letter to its parent organization, calling upon it to demand to see Shalit.
Halakhah and Redemption of Captives
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed - Rabbi of the community of Har Brachah in the Shomron, head of Yeshivat Shavei Shomron there, and author of a series of books on Jewish Law in various matters - has summarized the Halakhic [Jewish legal] issues involved in the redemption of Gilad Shalit. He cites the Talmudic dictum which forbids redeeming captives for more than "their worth," in order that the captors not be encouraged to kidnap additional Jews.
In the event that the captive's life is in danger, the Halakhic decisors are in disagreement as to whether the above restriction applies. However, Rabbi Melamed writes, in times of war, it is clear that the restrictions apply even when a captive's life is endangered:
"It is clear that if we give in to their demands, our enemies will sees this as weakness, their morale will rise, and they will continue with even more vigor to strike out at us.
"It is also known that after every 'success' of this type, more terrorists join their ranks.
"In addition, those who attack us will need not fear for their future, because they will know that even if they are caught, they will soon be freed from Israeli prison in some exchange deal.
"There is also a reasonable fear that at least some of the terrorists released in the deal will carry out more attacks against Jews.
"Therefore, despite the pain, we must not give in to the blackmail and pay more than what is acceptable in such cases, namely, one person in exchange for one person. [Ideally], in times of war, we do not give in to any enemy dictates, and if the enemy takes even one captive, we go out to war to free him."
Egypt has suggested that the soldier be released immediately, in return for Israel's agreement to release Arab prisoners in the future.
Meshaal's deputy Abu Marzuk is reported as saying that Hamas will not cede its demand for the release of prisoners. It is estimated that some 10,000 PA terrorists are incarcerated in Israel.
Noam Shalit, Gilad's soft-spoken father, spoke with a spokesman for Hamas terror group Izaddin El Kassam this morning. The conversation was facilitated by the Arab-Jewish Voice of Peace radio station in Jerusalem. Shalit asked that his son not be harmed, and said, "I repeat what I said yesterday, which is just that there's no reason for any further suffering, and we could end this today." He said yesterday that the abductors should allow a third-party such as the Red Cross to meet with his son.
The Hamas spokesman, Abu Abeida, responded in Arabic, "We have submitted our demands, and Israel can respond and negotiate with us... What does Israel demand?" Noam Shalit said, "I am not a spokesman for the government of Israel."
The Victims of Arab Terror organization has written to the International Red Cross, demanding to know why it has not been more forceful in demanding to see the kidnapped soldier. "Israel always agrees to allow the Red Cross to see imprisoned terrorists," VAT head Shifra Hoffman told Arutz-7. "We have not received a single sign of life from Gilad Shalit. Why is the Red Cross not making similar demands to see this soldier, who is suffering in captivity?"
Arutz-7 contacted the Gaza office of the International Red Cross, and asked Gaza sub-delegation chief Georgis Georgantas this question. Georgantas said that Shalit is being held in an undisclosed place by elements who have not been clearly specified. The Red Cross had therefore made it clear to "various interlocutors," Georgantas said, that "we are ready to visit the soldier."
Asked if the precise wording of the request could be seen, Georgantas said that it had been delivered orally.
Georgantas refused to explain why the Red Cross does not contact the Hamas government directly.
Israel's Magen David Adom (Red Star of David), newly accepted into the International Red Cross, has sent a letter to its parent organization, calling upon it to demand to see Shalit.
Halakhah and Redemption of Captives
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed - Rabbi of the community of Har Brachah in the Shomron, head of Yeshivat Shavei Shomron there, and author of a series of books on Jewish Law in various matters - has summarized the Halakhic [Jewish legal] issues involved in the redemption of Gilad Shalit. He cites the Talmudic dictum which forbids redeeming captives for more than "their worth," in order that the captors not be encouraged to kidnap additional Jews.
In the event that the captive's life is in danger, the Halakhic decisors are in disagreement as to whether the above restriction applies. However, Rabbi Melamed writes, in times of war, it is clear that the restrictions apply even when a captive's life is endangered:
"It is clear that if we give in to their demands, our enemies will sees this as weakness, their morale will rise, and they will continue with even more vigor to strike out at us.
"It is also known that after every 'success' of this type, more terrorists join their ranks.
"In addition, those who attack us will need not fear for their future, because they will know that even if they are caught, they will soon be freed from Israeli prison in some exchange deal.
"There is also a reasonable fear that at least some of the terrorists released in the deal will carry out more attacks against Jews.
"Therefore, despite the pain, we must not give in to the blackmail and pay more than what is acceptable in such cases, namely, one person in exchange for one person. [Ideally], in times of war, we do not give in to any enemy dictates, and if the enemy takes even one captive, we go out to war to free him."