Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit and his father embrace
Terrorists interviewed by Egyptian TV en route to the Gaza Strip
 Gilad Shalit interviewed by Egyptian TV after his release (Egyptian TV, October 18, 2011). He said he missed his family and friends and always believed he would be liberated. |
 Gilad Shalit led by his captors to the Rafah crossing (Egyptian TV, October 18, 2011). To his right is Ahmed Jaabari, commander of Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, who personally handed him over to the Egyptian authorities. |
 Gilad Shalit in an IDF uniform after arriving at an army base near the Kerem Shalom crossing (IDF Spokesman’s Website, October 18, 2011). |
 Gilad Shalit speaks with his family at an IDF base near the Kerem Shalom crossing (IDF Spokesman’s Website, October 18, 2011). |
Overview
1. The implementation of the first stage of the agreement for the liberation of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was completed as planned at noon on October 18.
2. At around 1100 hours Gilad Shalit was transferred to the Egyptian authorities at the Rafah crossing. Egyptian TV televised the first pictures of Gilad Shalit, shown accompanied by Ahmed Jaabari, commander of Hamas’ military-terrorist wing in the Gaza Strip, whose operatives held Shalit in captivity.
3. Gilad Shalit was interviewed by Egyptian TV, transferred to representatives of Israel and taken to an IDF base near the Kerem Shalom crossing. There he was examined by doctors, spoke on the phone with his family and changed into an IDF uniform. From Kerem Shalom he was flown by helicopter to the Israeli Air Force base at Tel Nof where he was received by his family and the prime minister, defense minister and IDF chief of staff.
 Gilad Shalit and his father embrace (Photo courtesy of the Israeli Government Press Office). |
4. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech at the IAF Tel Nof base in which he blessed Gilad Shalit’s return home, saying that it was the best deal that could be obtained after Hamas became willing to waive several of its demands. He added that he had not wanted Gilad Shalit to share the same fate as Ron Arad, and praised the internal unity which was the source of Israel’s strength. He also said that Israel believed in the sanctity of life and did not celebrate the release of murderers. Netanyahu warned that any terrorist who was released and returned to terrorism would pay the price (Israel Reshet B radio, October 18, 2011).
Transfer of the Terrorists to the Gaza Strip , Judea and Samaria
The Gaza Strip
5. Egyptian TV interviewed Palestinian terrorists en route to the Gaza Strip where a rally is planned in their honor in which 200,000 Gazans are expected to participate. On their way to the Gaza Strip they thanked Hamas and Egypt for their release. Some of them called for more Israelis to be abducted and used to obtain the release of more prisoners in Israeli jails.
Terrorists interviewed by Egyptian TV en route to the Gaza Strip
(Egyptian TV, October 18, 2011).
6. Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas’ military-terrorist wing, said that Hamas would not rest until the Israeli jails had been emptied.
Judea and Samaria
7. The terrorists were transferred to Judea and Samaria via a route different from the one originally planned because of stones’ being thrown at the Ofer (Betunia) Crossing. They were taken to the Muqataa in Ramallah where a reception was held for them, attended by 20,000 Palestinians. Present were Mahmoud Abbas and two high-ranking Hamas figures in Judea and Samaria, Hassan Yussuf and Abd al-Aziz Dweik.
8. Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech in which he said that the prisoners who had been released would see the results of their struggle in the form of an independent Palestinian state. He said he hoped that at the Muqataa Palestinians would soon be able to see Marwan Barghouti [Fatah], Ahmed Saadat [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine], Ibrahim Hamed [Hamas] and Abbas al-Sayyid [Hamas].2 Hassan Yussuf, of Hamas, said that the joy of the day was mixed with sorrow for those who had not been released. He called for an internal Palestinian reconciliation and joined the crowd in shouts of "with spirit and blood we will redeem Palestine."
1 As of 1300 hours, October 18, 2011.
2 Four high-ranking terrorist operatives whom Israel refused to release. Ibrahim Hamed commanded Hamas military-terrorist wing in Judea and Samaria and was behind several suicide bombing attacks, including those in Zion Square, Cafe Moment and Cafe Hillel, all in Jerusalem. Abbas Sayyid, Hamas commander in Tulkarm, was responsible for dispatching the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Park Hotel in Netanya during the Passover Seder in 2002. For further information about the four terrorists mentioned, see the October 12, 2011 bulletin "The Agreement for the Liberation of Abducted Israeli Soldier Gilad Shalit – Initial Report," at http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/ipc_e231.pdf
