Thousands of Israelis March to Get Captive Soldier Freed

JERUSALEM (June 27) -- An estimated 10,000 Israelis have begun a twelve-day march from northern Israel to Jerusalem demanding that Hamas release a captured Israeli soldier. Friday marked the fourth anniversary of Gilad Shalit's capture by militants from Gaza and his family says they will not return to their home without the soldier.

"Gilad waited four years and he is still waiting," said Gilad's father Noam Shalit after leaving his house in Mitzpe Hila, near Israel's border with Lebanon today. "Waiting for those who sent him, waiting for his commanding officers, waiting for the Prime Ministers, waiting for the defense ministers, but they don't listen."

Noam Shalit has accused the Israeli government of not doing enough to free his son. The Islamist Hamas movement, which controls Gaza, has demanded the release of 1000 prisoners in Israeli jails, including dozens of prisoners who have been convicted of terrorist attacks.

Netanyahu has denied that he is not doing enough to free the captured Israeli soldier and invited the Shalit family to meet with him when they end their march in Jerusalem.

"Our hearts are with the Shalit family," Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. "We call on the international community to work to bring about the release of the abducted soldier."

Hamas has not allowed the Red Cross to visit Shalit, but has released three audiotapes and a videotape in October, 2009 in exchange for Israel's release of 19 female Palestinian prisoners. In the video Shalit, who was wounded when he was captured, looks wan but healthy.

Hamas spokesman Ayman Taha said Hamas will not change its position.

"We can't allow the Red Cross to visit Shalit because he is not in prison and therefore revealing his location would be very dangerous," he said in a statement.

Israeli intelligence officials have said they believe Shalit is held in an underground bunker and is moved frequently.

Until recently, the Shalit family has not criticized the Israeli government. But it seems that their patience has grown thin.

"I call on the public across Israel, anyone who thinks that four years is enough, to join our march with his legs to express support and protest," said Shalit. "We will return to our Galilee home only with Gilad, our son."

Shalit said that after reaching Jerusalem next week he will pitch a tent across from Netanayhu's office and stay there until Gilad is freed. But Israeli officials today said they will not give in to public pressure to soften Israel's position in the negotiations with Hamas. Israeli media reports say a deal was close last year, but foundered after Israel refused to allow many prisoners to return to their homes in the West Bank, and insisted that they be sent either to Gaza or abroad. Israel is also refusing to release several dozen prisoners Israel says were responsible for major terrorist attacks.

Gilad Shalit, who was 19 when he was captured, is a dual French-Israeli citizen. His face has become known throughout Israel, emblazoned on bumper stickers and T-shirts. Polls show that a large majority of the Israeli public supports such a deal even though a recent study has found that almost two-thirds of prisoners who were convicted of terrorism and later released, commit new terrorist attacks. Others argue that giving in to Hamas in this case will strengthen the organization and lead to more attempts to capture soldiers.

"We send our soldiers to fight, die, be wounded, and sometimes be taken prisoner," wrote the Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv today. "While the heart weeps for Gilad Shalit, the head must understand that the price of his release is too high."