Hamas Releases Message Said To Be From Israeli Captive
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
JERUSALEM — The militant wing of the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas yesterday released an audiotape purported to be a message from abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in which his health is said to have deteriorated to the point of him needing hospitalization.
Hamas and two other Palestinian Arab groups kidnapped Corporal Shalit a year ago. The person on the tape, who spoke in Hebrew, said he hoped the Israeli government would take more of an interest in Corporal Shalit in the coming months and answer the demands of his captors.
There was no immediate confirmation by the Israeli military that the tape, aired on Israel’s Channel 10, is genuine.
The audiotape was aired hours after the release of a video of kidnapped British Broadcasting Corp. reporter Alan Johnston wearing an explosive-packed vest that he warned would be detonated should an effort be made to rescue him.
Mr. Johnston is being held in Gaza, where Israel believes Corporal Shalit is also captive.
