IDF soldier Shalit marks birthday in Hamas captivity

Kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit will mark his 22^nd birthday today, his third since he was kidnapped in a cross-border raid by Palestinian terrorists near the Gaza Strip. Although negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been taking place with Egyptian mediation for some time, no substantial progress has been achieved so far. Israel leaders are unanimous that progress will not be made unless Hamas proves willing to compromise on the list of prisoners it demands for the release of Shalit. 

During a briefing with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni yesterday, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said, "We agreed to a calm [with Hamas] for Gilad Shalit and we need to take advantage of this period to make progress in the negotiations." The briefing took place after Barak's visit on Tuesday to Egypt, where he spoke with President Hosni Mubarak. The Israeli cabinet is scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss new criteria for the release of prisoners who were involved in the killing of Israelis, as part of an exchange deal with Hamas for the release of Shalit. Olmert favours Barak's view that Israel should be flexible in its assessment of Palestinian prisoners and the criteria for their release, while Livni has some reservations about easing the criteria.

Today, family members, friends and activists will hold events across the country; the main message will be gaining Shalit's release. At a rally yesterday, Miki Goldwasser, mother of Ehud Goldwasser, one of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped and killed by Hezbollah in July 2006, criticised the country's leaders for failing to release Shalit. She called on all mothers in Gaza with sons in Israeli jails to demand that Hamas secure their release as part of a swap for Shalit.

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