Read Shalit's first letter from captivity
Ynet obtains copy of letter sent from captive soldier in 2006: 'I appeal to my government, my health is deteriorating daily, I am especially struggling emotionally, and this is causing me much depression,' it says
The letter was apparently written one month after the kidnapping, and in light of the many Arab phrases used was probably dictated to the soldier by his captors.
The letter says:
To my mother and father, brothers and friends, I send you Shalom.
My health is deteriorating daily, I am especially struggling emotionally and this is causing me much depression. I am waiting for this intolerable human nightmare to end and to be released from the closed and isolated prison, especially since my 20th birthday has gone by, which I had hoped we would celebrate together.
I appeal to my government, and especially Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and defense Minister Amir Peretz, to do everything in their power to release me as soon as possible because every day that goes by hurts me more, and to consent to the requests of mujahideen that detained me from within a tank near Kerem Abu Salem. I hope you will do everything so that I can celebrate Rosh Hashana and Sukkot at home.
The prisoner in the hands of the Palestinian mujahideen,
Gilad Shalit
Captured on 06.25.06
Since he was abducted a number of signals have come from Gilad Shalit:
June 2007 – Gilad's voice could be heard on an audio tape made public by Hamas, which concluded with the words, "I have great hope that my government will take more interest in me and comply with the requests of the mujahideen."
February 2008 – A third party transfers to Israel a letter from Shalit.
April 2008 – French President Nicolas Sarkozy transfers a letter to Shalit from his parents.
June 2008 – A third letter from Gilad arrives, with the assistance of former US President Jimmy Carter.
June 2009 – Carter transfers a letter from the Shalits to their captive son.
