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Israeli/Palestinian Prisoner Swap - by Stephen Lendman
Thousands of Palestinian political prisoners will remain in Israeli prisons unjustly.
Since Hamas captured Gilad Shalit on June 25, 2006, on and off talks negotiated his release.
Hamas took him captive, responding to repeated Israeli attacks, including a widely reported beach shelling. It killed eight Palestinians, injuring 32 others, including 13 children. Israel denied responsibility, falsely blaming a Hamas mine despite forensic evidence proving otherwise.
In retaliation, Hamas struck an Israeli military post near Kerem Shalom crossing, southeast of Rafah. Two Israeli soldiers were killed. Several others were injured, and Shalit was capture.
He's been held ever since because Israel refused to negotiate responsibly to free him. It preferred using his captivity to vilify Hamas until now.
On October 12, Haaretz headlined, "Israel cabinet approves Gilad Shalit prisoner swap," saying:
Voting early Wednesday morning, Netanyahu's cabinet agreed to free over 1,000 Palestinian political prisoners in two waves in return for Hamas releasing him after over five years in captivity.
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