The military wing of Hamas today released an audio message from Corporal Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier it kidnapped after a cross-border raid a year ago, in which he claimed he was unwell and needed an "extended period" in hospital.
In a message broadcast on the website of the Islamists' military wing, Corporal Shalit - who was abducted after his attackers burrowed through a tunnel from Gaza to an Israeli Army post - accused the Israeli Government of not showing enough interest in securing his release.
The recording, which marks the first time any message has been released by Hamas from the captured soldier, was unveiled at the same time as a video that the group claimed showed the operation which led him being captured. It shows a soldier being dragged away by what appeared to be Hamas fighters dressed in Israeli Army uniforms.
The recording was released as another Islamist group, the radical Army of Islam, posted another video of Alan Johnston, the BBC correspondent abducted in Gaza three months ago.
Corporal Shalit's capture led to major Israeli military reprisals in the Gaza Strip but was hailed by radical Islamist groups as an example of how to hurt the Israeli Army. A similar cross-border raid in southern Lebanon by Hezbollah last July saw the capture of two more Israeli soldiers, prompting the 34-day conflict in southern Lebanon.
“I’ve been in prison one year. My situation is deteriorating. I need an extended period in hospital,” Corporal Shalit said, in Hebrew, in an audio clip posted on the website of Hamas's Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
“I am sorry that the Israeli Government has not shown more interest. It should meet the demands of my kidnappers so I can be released."
A text printed in Arabic on the website said: “I am Gilad Shalit. I’ve been arrested by Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. Mother, father, sisters, brothers, my friends in the Israeli army, I send you from my jail my regards and I miss you."
The rmessage was released only a day after after Corporal Shalit's father, Noam, said that Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, should stand down if he failed to negotiate a deal to free his son.
"It's the test of a leader," said Mr Shalit at a rally marking the year-long anniversary yesterday. "If you do not know what to do, give your portfolio to someone who can bring about results immediately."
Its release also appeared timed to coincide with a summit between Mr Olmert, the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, King Abdullah of Jordan and President Mubarak of Egypt in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Shiekh aimed at boosting Mr Abbas's Fatah party. Hamas drove Fatah forces out of the Gaza Strip and seized control of the area after a round of intense gun battles earlier this month, in an operation described by Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, as a "coup d'etat".
Despite boasting of holding Corporal Shalit, Hamas today reiterated that it wanted to win the release of Mr Johnston, whom the Army of Islam showed wearing a suicide belt in today's video.
The BBC journalist said his captors would murder him if there was any attempt by Hamas to free him by force. The Army of Islam is believed to be part of the powerful Dagmoush clan, which operates in a no-go area just outside southern Gaza.
"As you can see I’ve been dressed in what is an explosive belt, which the kidnappers say will be detonated if there’s any attempt to storm this area," Mr Johnston said in the video.
"They say they are ready to turn the hideout into what they describe as a death zone if there’s an attempt to free me by force.”
No comments:
Post a Comment