TEL NOF AIR FORCE BASE, Israel— At the Tel Nof Air Force Base in central Israel on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed home the soldier who was released from Hamas captivity in exchange for the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners serving sentences in Israeli prison.
The prisoner exchange procedure on Tuesday was nerve-racking for Israelis. Only after 27 female Palestinian prisoners were transferred into the care of the Red Cross, did Shalit begin his way out of Gaza and into Egypt via the Rafah crossing.
The first pictures of the newly freed Shalit were taken by an Egyptian television as he stepped down from the vehicle that had brought him to Egypt. He was able to walk but needed support and was helped along by Egyptian security guards. The commander of Hamas military, Ahmed Jaabri, walked behind him.
In an interview with Egyptian Television, Shalit said, “I thought I would spend many more years in jail,” adding that about a month ago, he had had the feeling the he would be released soon.
When asked what he thought about the release of Palestinians from Israeli imprisonment, Shalit answered, “I would be glad if when they’re released, they stop fighting Israel.” He said he hoped that his liberation deal would contribute to peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
After Shalit was delivered into the hands of Israeli representative David Meidan, the Red Cross buses carrying the released women prisoners began moving into Egypt.
When Shalit crossed the border, an Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson announced, “Gilad Shalit has returned today from the operational activity to which he was sent in June 2006.” Shalit, was a corporal when he was captured, he was promoted twice while in prison and received a third promotion from Netanyahu Monday, coming home a sergeant major.
As he stepped out of the helicopter at the base, Shalit saluted Netanyahu, who had been waiting for him on the ground. The prime minister hugged Shalit and accompanied him to his parents telling them, “I have brought your son back home.”
At a press conference with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Benny Ganz at his side, Netanyahu told reporters, “When I returned to serve as prime minister, one of the central and most complicated missions on my desk was to bring our kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, home safe and sound. Today this mission has been accomplished. It involved making a tough decision.”
Netanyahu said that when he was a soldier, “I always trusted that if I, or any of my friends were captured by the enemy, the Israeli government would do everything in its power to bring us back home. That is what I did now.”
Palestinians Celebrate Return of Prisoners
Tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered on the streets to celebrate the return of hundreds of prisoners who were freed from Israeli jails in exchange for Shalit’s release.
The prisoner-swap deal was painted as a victory by Hamas, the militant ruling party in the Gaza Strip that had held Shalit in custody since 2006.
As many as 477 prisoners were released today, with a further 550 to be released in two months time.
The crowd yesterday in Gaza City appeared to link further kidnappings of Israeli soldiers with the release of more Palestinian prisoners. There are over 5,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails.
“The people want a new Gilad!” the crowd chanted, according to Reuters.
In the West Bank, which is ruled by the more moderate party of President Mahmoud Abbas, a conference was called to celebrate the release of the prisoners.
In a speech, Abbas described the men as “freedom fighters” and enjoyed a moment of solidarity with three rival Hamas politicians as the four men briefly joined hands in celebration.
As many as 300 of the prisoners arrived in Gaza later on Tuesday afternoon, with the remainder returning to the West Bank.
The prisoner release is a reversal of an earlier Israeli position when it said it would not free those with “blood on their hands.” Many of the Palestinians who were set free were involved in terror attacks.
Among them was Ahlam Tamimi, a driver for a suicide bomber who went on to kill 15 people. When asked by Israel’s Channel 2 TV whether she felt any remorse, she said: “No, why should I?”
Relatives of prisoners were overjoyed at seeing them released. The mother of one prisoner, Sobhia Jundiya, traveled from Bethlehem to Egypt with her husband to catch a glimpse of her son following his release. He had been in jail for 10 years for participating in an attack that left 12 dead.
“It’s better he be in Gaza even if I can’t see him. It’s better than prison in Israel,” she told AP.
“I hope to see him for a few minutes,” she said, beginning to cry. “This is the day I have been dreaming of for 10 years. I haven’t touched his hand in 10 years.”
With additional reporting by Stephen Jones in Dubai.
