Captured Israeli Soldier "Still Alive"
Hector Duarte Jr. - All Headline News Staff Reporter Tel Aviv, Israel (AHN) - An Israeli spokesman says the Israeli soldier held captive by Palestinian militants is still alive. As a deadline set by the militants waned, one of the groups holding Gilad Shalit captive said they would not harm him but more talks would come. The militants had given Israel until 0300 GMT to meet their demands to free Palestinian prisoners or face unknown "consequences." Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would not fold over to what he labels extortion. Early Tuesday, missiles hit the Gaza Strip as Israel continued to launch airstrikes for the seventh consecutive night. Shalit, 19, was captured nine days ago during a crossborder raid. A spokesman for the Israel government, Avi Pazner, said Tuesday speaking to French media, "We know that until now Gilad Shalit is alive, we know that he is injured, that he was seen by a Palestinian doctor a few days ago." Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the Popular Resistance Committee and the Islamic Army say they have Shalit. They have demanded that all Palestinian women and young prisoners be released along with 1,000 male prisoners in exchange for information about Shalit's condition. Israel, on the other hand, has denied this request. On Tuesday morning, a spokesman for the Islamic Army said the deadline had expired and that there was no more room for negot |
