Captive soldier Gilad Shalit
Photo: Noam Rotem
Shalit family launches new campaign for Gilad's release
Ahead of son's 1000th day in captivity, Noam, Aviva Shalit prepare to stay in protest tent in capital, send out SMSs, emails, and letters with the word 'Help' cut out from letters sent by son in captivity in hopes of raising awarness. 'We will stay in tent as long as it takes,' says father
The Shalit family is stepping up its efforts to bring about the release of their son, Gilad, who has been held captive in Gaza for the past 984 days.
At noon on Thursday, the family held a press conference in Tel Aviv, and announced the launching of a new campaign for thier son's release.
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On Sunday, Shalit's parents Noam and Aviva plan to travel to the protest tent in Jerusalem, where they will spend most of the hours of the day. Other relatives will join them in the days to follow.
Noam Shalit said, "We will stay in the tent as long as it takes and we will get our message across with our goal being to raise the issue of saving Gilad, since all efforts for his release have failed, and we will have the public decide on the matter."
As part of the new campaign, the Shalit family has also cut and pasted, from letters sent from their son in captivity, letters to form the word "Help", and plan to send letters with Gilad's "Help" to citizens all across the country.
SMSs and emails in Gilad Shalit's name will also be sent out. The advertising firm said they sampled Shalit's handwriting and came up with what they felt he would shout out if he could.
As part of the campaign, the family will also broadcast a movie in which Shalit's voice can be heard.
Over the past few years, protests for Shalit's release have been held outside Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Residence on Fridays.
Over the last two years, groups for the release of the three captive soldiers, including Shalit and fallen soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, who were held by Hizbullah until their bodies were returned to Israel in July, have held Passover Seders and Rosh Hashanah meals outside the PM's Residence in protest.
