Hamas kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on June 25, 2006.
Hamas terrorists tunneled to three kilometers from the town pictured below to the Israeli outpost where this picture was taken.
Hamas dug a 3 kilometer long tunnel under the separation fence between Gaza and Israel and behind the army post where Gilad Shalit and his fellow soldiers were stationed that morning. This photo was taken at that army post. During the morning attack, two IDF soldiers were killed and three others wounded, aside from Shalit, who himself suffered a broken left hand and a light shoulder wound after his tank was hit with an RPG. Israeli forces believe that Gilad and his captors walked back over this field and disappeared inside this Gaza town. Gilad Shalit has not been seen since that morning. (Photo taken from near Sderot in early August 2007)
In September 2010 Hamas terrorists released video of two terrorists threatening to kill kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Today, (Tuesday), after 1,941 days in captivity, Gilad Shalit is expected to be released by Hamas.
The Jerusalem Post reported:
After 1,941 days in Hamas captivity, Gilad Schalit is scheduled to return to Israel on Tuesday in a complicated prisoner swap that will see the release of 1,027 Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons.
Overnight Monday, the IDF finalized preparations for the swap and moved all of the Palestinian prisoners slated for release to various points throughout the country from where they will be transferred to Egypt, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and inside the country.
Schalit is expected to be transferred to the custody of the International Red Cross early Tuesday morning and will cross into Egypt via the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza. He will then cross into Israel and will be taken to a nearby base for a preliminary medical exam.
On Monday, OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo declared Israel’s border crossings with Egypt and Gaza a closed military zone ahead of the swap.
After the medical exams, Schalit will be flown to the Tel Nof Air Force Base where he will be reunited with his family after more than five years in Hamas captivity.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to arrive at Tel Nof early Tuesday morning and supervise the carefully-choreographed swap.
Dear Reader - The enemies of freedom are choking off the Gateway Pundit from the resources we need to bring you the truth. Since many asked for it, we now have a way for you to support The Gateway Pundit directly - and get ad-reduced access. Plus, there are goodies like a special Gateway Pundit coffee mug for supporters at a higher level. You can see all the options by clicking here - thank you for your support!
