Gilad Shalit - 1000+ days a Prisoner of the Hamas

photo by Gil Yohanan (ynet) of the Shalit family in the protest tent in Jerusalem this week

Today, Saturday, March 21, 2009, marks 1,000 days of captivity of the soldier Gilad Shalit, held in Gaza by the radical Islamist Hamas movement since June 25, 2006. Shalit was kidnapped by Hamas, Army of Islam and Popular Resistance Committees terrorists in an attack on an IDF outpost at a Gaza crossing, where two other soldiers were killed and a fourth was gravely wounded. br>
The Shalit family will commemorate the date with a mass rally in Jerusalem this evening.

The Hamas has never allowed the International Red Cross to visit Gilad Shalit. The Hamas' denial of visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) violates the Geneva Convention. The Shalit family still have no proof of whether he is alive, or of his physical and psychological condition.

During its final days in office, the Olmert government attempted a last-ditch bid to secure Gilad Shalit's release, through intensive indirect negotations, mediated by Egypt, with Hamas. The negotiations collapsed this week over the Hamas' insistence that Israel free hardcore militants imprisoned in Israeli jails These dangerous terrorists were involved in planning some of the worst terrorist and suicide-bomb attacks that killed many Israeli civilians and have publicly declared that when released they hope to kill more Israelis.

Pupils from Ort Henri Ronson High School in Ashkelon went up by bus to Jerusalem to support the Shalit family and take part in the vigil in the protest tent. This sticker was designed by 1oth grade student Itai Ben Naim and all the students

wore it on their shirts. 1000 days in captivity. How much longer?

nicole

Rocket Bombardment

Today the Hamas fired over 60 rockets at Israel. Since the end of the ceasefire there has been continuous missile, mortar and rocket bombardment from Gaza at civilian targets in Israel. Sirens have sent residents of southern Israel to seek shelter in "secure rooms". For the first time, today rocket-alert sirens were also activated in Kiryat Gat, Ashdod and Kiryat Malachi

In Ashkelon today there were more than 10 rocket-alert sirens during the day and rockets fell all over the city, miraculously only in empty spaces. Netivot, Eshkol and the Sderot area were also heavily bombarded.

Israel has finally had enough and today there was a massive airstrike on Gaza military targets by the Israel airforce. The Hamas was caught by surprise and many military targets were eliminated.

A state of high alert has been declared. It's still the Hanuka holidays but schools will be closed until further notice. It seems clear that the escalation will continue.

From Ynet: The army called on communities located close to the Gaza Strip fence, and also on Sderot residents, to remain indoors. Public gatherings have been disallowed. Other communities located up to 10 kilometers away from the Strip were ordered to remain 15 seconds away from secured rooms. There too, no public gatherings are allowed.

In communities located 10-20 kilometers away from the Strip, including Ashkelon, residents were ordered to remain no more than 30 seconds away from secured rooms. Communities located in the 20-30 kilometer range, including the towns of Ashdod, Ofakim, Kiryat Malachi, and Kiryat Gat must remain 45 seconds away from shelters.

Tomorrow we were expecting a delegation from the UJC, and another city delegation of young attorneys, to visit Ashkelon, but they have cancelled. We who live in the region are trying to carry on with our normal lives and routines, but anyone who doesn't have to be in the area is keeping away for the moment.

Meanwhile we are trying to carry on as usual, going to work, doing what we always do, but always with an eye on the likeliest place to shelter in case of a siren.

Nicole