Some 500 residents of Israeli communities located near the Gaza Strip have signed a petition demanding that any ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian terror groups include the return of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday.
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The petition is expected to be presented to Defense Minister Ehud Barak later
in the day. The initiative was launched by members of Kibbutz Kfar Aza following the death of 48-year-old Jimmy Kdoshim, who was killed
on May 8 when a mortar shell fired from Gaza hit his house in the kibbutz.
Copies of the petition were distributed in nearby communities and sent via email to residents of the south. The kidnapped soldier's father, Noam Shalit, gave his blessing to the intiative.
Kfar Aza resident Batia Holin said "we will not agree to a truce without (the return of) Gilad Shalit. We prefer to continue and suffer from the Qassam and mortar fire than accept a ceasefire agreement that does not include Gilad."
Hundreds of Sderot residents are expected to sign the petition on Sunday before it is handed to Barak. "The residents of Sderot are indebted to Shalit, who was kidnapped while safeguarding the town and the communities surrounding Gaza," said Alon Davidi, chairman of The Committee for a Secure Sderot.
"We do not believe a truce will bring peace to Sderot, but if the government plans on going through with it, it should at least see to it that Shalit returns home.
Shalit was captured on June 25, 2006 by Palestinian gunmen who raided an army post near the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
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