The Arab patients are receiving treatment in Israel after an IDF artillery attack went awry last Wednesday, accidentally hitting an apartment building in Beit Hanoun. Twenty civilians were killed in the attack and others were injured, including several who were taken to Israel for specialized medical care.



Shalit, whose son was abducted on June 25th by Hamas terrorists in a cross-border raid on an IDF outpost near the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza, said he was not concerned about the timing of his visit - just a day after a woman was killed and two others were seriously wounded when 12 Arab-fired rockets smashed into Sderot and environs.



“Of course, I also identify with the residents of Sderot, and I am very sorry about what happened,” he said.



Shalit said he will call for a ceasefire while speaking to reporters at the hospital. “Clearly violence begets violence and hatred begets hatred, and therefore both sides should stop the bloodshed and try to reach some kind of dialogue.”



Four days ago, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert repeated his offer to free hundreds of jailed PA Arab prisoners and terrorists – as soon as the kidnapped Shalit was freed.



Shalit’s condition and whereabouts are still unknown. His father told reporters he has received no new information from Israeli officials.