AP
Jerusalem – Israeli and Hamas officials announced late Tuesday that they have reached a prisoner swap deal to free a captured Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip in exhange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the AP is reporting.
The deal caps five years of painful negotiations that have repeatedly collapsed in fingerpointing and violence.
The deal would bring home Sgt. Gilad Schalit, who was captured in a cross-border raid in June 2006 by Palestinian militants who burrowed into Israel and dragged him into Gaza. Little has been known about his fate since then.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convened an urgent meeting Tuesday night with his Cabinet to approve the deal, said an Israeli official, who spoke on condition pending a formal announcement. A senior Hamas official in Cairo also confirmed the deal.
The agreement would exchange Schalit, 25, for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel had previously balked at Hamas’ demands because some of the prisoners are serving lengthy sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis. Exact details of the deal were not immediately available.
The deal would be implemented in a week, Hamas officials said.
after reading such stupid and brainless comments from some brainless people i think give back all 8000 militants and hashem will take care of them and don’t forget israel can get rid of their army and hashem will take care of them come on guys where is your bitachon just wish some of you use common sense like one good comment said moach SHALIT al halev i know he is 8000 arabs but for israel to give back even 100 terrorist is total absurdity and ridiculousness i know you feel for the mother of gillad but that is not the… Read more »
A Chabad blogger passionately explains why the Shalit deal is “disgraceful and deadly”, linked below. the piece changed how I thought about the issue. After reading this article, it confirms how right he is.
http://a-farbrengen.blogspot.com/2011/10/shalit-deal-disgraceful-and-deadly.html
The country was bleeding over Gilad Shalit. It was being torn apart. Meanwhile, with Egypt in danger of going the way of fanatic Islamists, this was the last chance for a deal at all…since they were the ones leading negotiations. It wasn’t you or I who had to make this heart wrenching decision…be greatful for that. Instead, it’s done; so let’s just pray he comes home safely, he’s able to heal, and let’s celebrate his return!
such comments ??????????????
ech sec. in ther hands is life thretening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I doubt he’ll come home fully mentally stable-if alive. You got to remember those people are vicious MURDERERS!!!!
The good thing is is that it shows them and the world for that matter, that 1 jew is worth 1000 of them!!!
the halacha does not agree with all the comments above. for th parents its amazing that their son was freed adn wtvr,, but they cant think abt themselves. they have to think about jews as a whole, 1000 terrorists cud do a ton of harm,, and then they know for next time- kidnap jewish soldiers and demand as many prisioners as they want and the jews will give it to them. it was not the right thing to do.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
u people make it sound like 1000 terrorists is signing a death wish for the jewish people. Hashem cares about us, he’ll make sure they get what they deserve and that we’ll be safe. especially in the zchus of fulfilling this HUGE mitzvah of pidyon shivuyim hashem will surely keep us safe, bring peace to us, and bring MOSHIACH RIGHT NOW!
if it was up to me, i would have let tens of thousands of Palestinians go free in order to save even one Jewish soul! only HAshem knows what those freed Palestinians might do in the future. the fact is, a jew is in trouble right now and he needs to be helped immediately. A jewish person has a Jewish Soul which comes from an Infinite source. Who can compare one Jewish Infinite soul to 200 infinite Jewish souls? (which number is greater, 1 infinite, or 200 infinities? they’re both infinite) Only HAshem! We are Definitely Doing the Right Thing,… Read more »
you all seem to think there is another solution to free gilad shalit, but obviously none of you know this solution you seem to talk about so next time you have an opinion learn to back it up!
why do you refer to terrorists as “soldiers”?
they are TRULY NOT one and the same thing AT ALL!
it is noble to be a soldier
it is cowardly and shameful to be a terrorist
it is important to use the correct words when it comes to the loss of human life!
soldiers ONLY kill other soldiers
terrorists kill babies in their sleep
get the difference?
instead of discusing rather its ok or not what the goverment will do, lets pray he return healthy
First I thought, “Well that is a ridiculopus thing to do” Then I read one of the above comments and realized, “its true. If it was one of our brothers or children, ud give 1000 soldiers for ur son or brother!” Doesnt it say that all Jews are brother? Are related? If so, we should give thoughs 1000 soldiers. Hashem will take care of them and get the punishment they deserve. Also!!!! Teens really want to go into the Israeli army and fight for their country. Remember, there is a risk you’ll be captured by the terrible Palestinians, YEMACH SHEMO,… Read more »
Moach SHALIT al halev
PM NETANYAHU, 1000 PRISONERS IS A LOT!!! THAT CAN AFFECT WHEN MASHIACH COMES!!! OH HASHEM IF ONLY WE GOT TO VOTE FOR THESE THINGS!!! I HATE THOSE PALESTINIENES!! THEYRE SO VIOLENT THEY SHOULD ALL DIE NIWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW HASHEM YERACHEM!!!
Every Jew is a world, what we should do to help another Jew, is everything, and what may come out of it, leave it to HaShem to handle, we just do our job, would you leave your brother in jail? think of him, as your own…
1 for 1,000?!
5 years ago the could have fought back and get him but no now they are going to release the most dangerous terrirst y? for one jew that they could have gotten bak themselves and i hope they relize that once he gets freed its just going to happen again its a cycle! if the arabs are smart enough to think this up why cant isreal be smart enough to relize?
its better to keep 1 person locked away and everyone else safe!!!
lets give them jerusalem while were at it ! jk chill out it was joke.
we should still daven that gilad should actually arrive home safely and that the freed terrorists get what they deserve
You are absolutley wrong! It does not make sense at all, you cannot do what they are doing, now that the arab’s see that we gave in they are going to do it again and again and keep on getting terrorists releast that will end up killing more jews! I forgot who it was, one of the great leaders of the jews was kidnapped only to be released for a huge sum of money, and the jews were willing to do it, however he said absolutley not, because once I am free they will just do it again and again!… Read more »
It must have been decided in Heaven BH that it is time for Gilad’s freedom, BH. But as Ketzale from National Union said: there are many military options that could have freed Gilad much sooner, such as cutting of all water, electricity and any aid to Gaza, or making a military incursion to bring him out…there perhaps are other better options. It is tragic to have to free 1000 terrorists, yemach shemom, in order to get back one Yid. May Hashem have rachmonos on klal yisrael.
Who hasn’t thought about Gilad Shalit almost every day over the past five years and davened for his safe return? Baruch Hashem that he is almost home, but he is not home yet. Over the next few days, please daven for his safe return. And we should all continually daven for the safety and security of all of our brothers and sisters in Israel and abroad. Baruch Hashem that we can stand strong and fight for one Jewish neshama. And fight we will for the protection of all. Daven, give tzedakah, take on a hachloto…for Gilad, for everyone in Israel… Read more »
Iyh, he will come back safley. However, the palestinians are prone to giving back one of our pple, but not alive, Gd forbid. What trap are we falling into?!
Ofcourse we want him home. but soon we’ll be crying for way more children, parents, grandparents, g-d forbid with 1000 terrorists freed. They can each harm many more pple and many times over! Now, u do the math!!
(by the way great comments #12,13, and 32)
how terrible this is. We all want Gilad back so much.
What is the halacha on this?
they are gonna get all the prisoners somehow!
1 jew is worth 1,000’s of non jews. and the arabs know this…
Yes, terrible pain and suffering for the parents.
We must ask experts in this field.
Look at all you people. Wouldn’t you trade the world to get your child back! He is a child of Israel as he was taken defending us and we should do WHATEVER it takes to get OUR child back. Shame on all you who discourage this….
he”s worth getting back no matter how many soldiers we have to give back…take yourseld out of your spot and put yourself in shallits spot how you feel, getting heart and hit everyday,not having a family or not being free like us and why should he suffer that pain its not fare, if it happend to one of you G/D forbid you guys would only wish israel would swap you over for 1000 soldiers,at the end of the day he’s a jew and worth something to family and freinds and im sure alot of other people…so hope you all could… Read more »
This will teach the terrorists that it pays to kidnap our soldiers…rachmona litzlon!
200 people????????!!!!!!!!!!!!! u kidding me?!?!?!?! 1,000 hamas terrorist is probably 10, 000 JEWISH PEOPLE hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for freeing 1 person, how come they cant get him out by force, or any other way??????????!
“Before proceeding to offer the explanations, we must first respond to the banal but required question: “And if it was your son, would you agree to free terrorists?” The real answer is that in order to save the life of one of my children I would obviously agree to free terrorists. I would also agree to hand over Temple Mount, take a Palestinian refugee family into my home in Haifa, and possibly accept the death of some innocents. Yet this is not the collective vision. The prime minister is not Gilad Shalit’s father, but rather, “the father of all of… Read more »
that’s crazy. but its freeing gilad
That’s what this news is. On the one hand, I understand not giving in. On the other hand, I have spent the last 5 years and almost 4 months davening for Gilad as if he was my own and thinking of what his parents must be going through.
I think that after all these failed attempts, if it wasn’t meant to be, Hashem would never have let it happen.
We should thank Hashem for this and pray to Him and have emunah that He will keep us safe from these animals and that ultimately, they will get what they deserve.
so happy that he is returning home. let us pray
You would exchange whatever it takes to get your baby back! Emunah and Bitchon Hashem will take care of those released prisoners and protect us
okey fine 1000 terrorists will be free but we have to trust in hashem that he will protect his people. its time for gilad to come back home . shalits have suffered enough!
Five long years our Jewish brother how many of us have 25 year old brothers if they where in his place we would do anything at any cost to bring our brother back yes 1000 prisoners is outrages but we are not dealing with humans BRING HIM HOME looking forward to hearing good news
but so happy fro gilad shalit. mazal tov!
wat should they have done? were they right in doing this?
Excited and grateful!
gilad is worth 100 oldiers.. wat does that make the palestintes??!!!!!
this is a big act of ahavos isroel…………. we wanted 1 person and we made sure to get it!!!! the palestinians are not worried about their people…. they just want them to have more people;with them
MAZAL TOV jews!!!!!
go on hamas….take another one of our boys(chas vesholom) for another 1000 terrorists!!
Get him home and DO NOT release these murderers!!!!!
“Please think of Israel as your next vacation destination, after all we just released 1000 terrorists onto the streets”!
If I can use an analogy it would be like solving an obesity problem by surgically removing the heart.
True life would be better for Gilad once freed, but what’s the result of releasing 1000 prisoners? After all, they are not in jail for shoplifting ice cream.
1000 terrorists free…..G-d help us!!!! MOSHIACH NOW!!!!!
I think this may be a good opportunity for the Isrealis to get rid of these prisoners for good.
In the Israeli justice system there is no death penalty, so they cannot kill even the biggest terrorists, but if they release them to Gaza and they start to engage in terrorist activities then Israel can kill them in an airstrike.
is hes free! mazol tov!!!!!!!!!!!
so happy that gilad is finally ganna be in a normal invironment
Mixed feelings at the end we lost
Well it seems that the holy Bibi will not listen to the REBBE again he’s gonna free 1000 terrorist in exchange for Gilad Shalit my only hope is that a bunch of so called Jewish terrorist are freed in the process
1000?????
Look what we have become today!!!
After all these years, and this is the deal??? 1 person for 1000!!!! Any person from every country in the world would tell you that it is absurd! and another thing, its 1 innocent soldier, for 1000 terrorists who make it their goal to destroy human lives; imagine you were a victim of one of the terrorists attacks and you knew that the person responsible was back on the streets…
This took way too long and should have been handled within days of his abduction. We cannot let them take our people without immediate action as was done in Entebbe. We need a day of celebration and the reciting of Hallel.
so they’re going to get back one person, but lose another 200 because of the freed criminals.