Israel - Hamas deal: Gilad Shalit, a particular former hostage case in Israel
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 This image of Gilad Shalit as he returned to Israel after five years in captivity has
00:06 become the symbol of Israel's hostage policy.
00:10 Whether civilians or soldiers, hostages must return home no matter the cost.
00:17 Kidnapped in 2006 during a cross-border attack.
00:22 Then-19-year-old French-Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was imprisoned by Hamas in Gaza for
00:27 five years until his release in October 2011 in exchange for over a thousand Palestinian
00:33 prisoners.
00:36 During those five years, his family and the organisations supporting them kept reminding
00:41 the government of its obligation.
00:43 "The government sent Gilad to fight.
00:49 It must bring him back."
00:52 This type of hostage policy was already applied on two occasions in the mid-eighties.
00:57 In 1983, six Israeli soldiers were exchanged for 4,000 Palestinians.
01:03 And in 1985, three Israelis were freed for over a thousand prisoners.
01:08 But Gilad Shalit's case was groundbreaking.
01:11 Never before in Israel's history had a single soldier been exchanged at such a high price.
01:17 Before his return, 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were liberated.
01:23 The five-year-long negotiations were difficult, beginning in early 2007 through Egyptian and
01:29 German mediation.
01:31 The main stumbling block?
01:32 The selection of the individual prisoners.
01:35 Successive Israeli governments ruled out the release of certain detainees on Hamas' proposed
01:40 list, deemed to have "blood on their hands."
01:44 Notably Marwan Barghouti, former leader of the Fatah party in the West Bank.
01:49 And Ahmed Sadat, Secretary General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
01:55 Yahya Sinwar, however, was one of those released.
01:58 Twelve years later, he would become the Hamas leader behind the October 7th attacks.