Hamas has delayed talks over releasing kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit two days before Hizbullah returned to Israel the bodies of kidnapped IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. After the Olmert administration approved freeing five terrorists for the dead bodies of Goldwasser and Regev, Hamas stated it will take a harder position to win more concessions from Israel before freeing Shalit, who is presumed to be alive.
Shalit was abducted two years ago in a raid at a Gaza crossing in which two other soldiers were killed. Hamas released audio tapes of Shalit, but no information about his current condition is available. Amos Gilad head of the Defense Ministry’s military-political bureau, told Army Radio Wednesday morning that Shalit is alive but added, "The true test will be bringing him back alive."
Amos Gilad told Army Radio morning that Shalit is alive but added, 'The true test will be bringing him back alive.'
Hamas has refused to allow Red Cross officials to meet with him, as provided under the Geneva Convention.
Hamas is trying to force Egypt to open up the border at Rafiah before negotiations with Israel continue. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that Shalit's release is tied to the temporary ceasefire agreement that was brokered by Egypt between Israel and Hamas nearly a month ago.
However, Hamas insisted that freeing the soldier depends on the Olmert administration's releasing hundreds of Arab terrorists, including many who were directly involved with murdering Israelis.
Prime Minister Olmert vowed after the kidnapping two years that he would not conduct any negotiations for releasing terrorists in exchange for Shalit. However, exactly a year ago, he met Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem, where he offered to free hundreds of terrorists. His aides said at the time that the "goodwill gesture" is "a calculated risk and not a dangerous calculation."