Please Meet Gilad Shalit

On Thursday, Gilad Shalit’s family will mark his third birthday (he will be be 22), while he is being held in Hamas captivity. Among those expected to take part in the family event are the parents of Eldad Regev HY”D and Ehud Goldwasser HY”D, whose bodies were recently released by Hizbullah in a prisoner exchange deal.

This young man graduated with distinction from Manor Kabri High School. Gilad began military service in the Israel Defense Forces in July 2005, and “despite a low medical profile, he preferred to serve in a combat unit, following his elder brother Yoel into the armored corps.

Gilad was captured early on Sunday morning, 25 June 2006, by Palestinians who attacked an Israeli army post on the Israeli side of the southern Gaza Strip border after having crossed through an underground tunnel near the Kerem Shalom border crossing. Gilad had an injury to his left shoulder, and hand from an RPG that hit his personnel carrier. He was 19 at the time.


There have been rescue attempts, but to no avail. There have been letters sent to the Shalit family, that have been confirmed to be his handwritting. Even as recent as June of this year.

In July 2008 a prisoner exchange was made with Hamas for the return of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. The Hamas prisoners were returned from Israel alive, but Eldad and Ehud were not.


On this Thursday please think of Gilad, and pray for his safe return. Soon.