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Palestinian armed groups have held Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for 1,000 days, denying him visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). They have also denied him communication with his family, bar a couple of letters in almost three years.
Gilad Shalit was seized by Palestinian armed groups from an Israeli military base near the Gaza Strip on 25 June 2006. His continuing incommunicado detention brings into relief the plight of detainees used by both sides of the Israel/Gaza conflict as bargaining chips in political negotiations.
Since early June 2007, the Israeli authorities have barred all family visits for some 900 Palestinians from Gaza detained in Israeli prisons. Up to then, visits were already limited to some family members only. Some people have not seen their jailed relatives for a decade or more.
The ban on family visits for Gazan detainees is part of a blockade imposed by Israel on the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, which constitutes collective punishment for its 1.5 million inhabitants.
In response to international concerns that the blockade is causing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israeli Vice Premier Haim Ramon said in February 2009: "Israel is facing a serious humanitarian crisis, and it is called Gilad Shalit, and... until he is returned home, not only will we not allow more cargo to reach the residents of Gaza, we will even diminish it."
Detainees used as bargaining chips by both sides in Israel/Gaza conflict | Amnesty International
Gilad Shalit was seized by Palestinian armed groups from an Israeli military base near the Gaza Strip on 25 June 2006. His continuing incommunicado detention brings into relief the plight of detainees used by both sides of the Israel/Gaza conflict as bargaining chips in political negotiations.
Since early June 2007, the Israeli authorities have barred all family visits for some 900 Palestinians from Gaza detained in Israeli prisons. Up to then, visits were already limited to some family members only. Some people have not seen their jailed relatives for a decade or more.
The ban on family visits for Gazan detainees is part of a blockade imposed by Israel on the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, which constitutes collective punishment for its 1.5 million inhabitants.
In response to international concerns that the blockade is causing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israeli Vice Premier Haim Ramon said in February 2009: "Israel is facing a serious humanitarian crisis, and it is called Gilad Shalit, and... until he is returned home, not only will we not allow more cargo to reach the residents of Gaza, we will even diminish it."
Detainees used as bargaining chips by both sides in Israel/Gaza conflict | Amnesty International
