Photo Gallery Gilad Shalit's Long Wait
Noam and Aviva Shalit, the parents of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, have been waiting for their son to be released out of Palestinian custody for five years. This photo shows the couple leading a march in 2008. Now, Noam has set up camp outside of the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A Palestinian woman walks past a wall depicting Gilad Shalit in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip. The German Federal Intelligence Service, BND, has been leading efforts to negotiate Shalit's release. But there have been many setbacks.
Gilad Shalit depicted in a Palestinian video shown in the autumn of 2009. Recently, the Palestinians have said that the lead German negotiator, Gerhard C., has taken sides with Netanyahu. The accusation would seem to end hopes that Shalit might be released soon.
Noam and Aviva Shalit have been fighting for years for their son's release. A deal in early 2010 was torpedoed by Netanyahu's insistence that Israel be allowed to determine which Palestinian prisoners are released in exchange for Shalit.
Noam Shalit on a visit to Paris in 2009. Even signs that Gilad Shalit is alive and healthy have been expensive. Israel freed 19 Palestinian women prisoners in exchange for the autumn 2009 video of the Israeli soldier.
Khaled Mashaal, the head of Hamas who lives in Damascus, Syria, officially never rejected the early 2010 deal to free Shalit. But Hamas stopped contacting German negotiator Gerhard C.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been a hardliner when it comes to dealing with the Palestinians. His government recently made minor concessions in the Shalit negotiations. But the Palestinians responded by accusing mediator Gerhard C. of taking sides with Israel.
