Hamas trying to play in the big leagues like Hizbullah. Two things are different here - they are blockaded with no where to go and the IDF have senior leaders in their sights. Who will blink first? Israel should stop all Hamas/Egypt contact and demand an ICRC visit immediately or no negotiations. Tactics like this used by Hamas usually indicate that the prisoner is dead, which erases the bargaining power of the terrorists. If need be, make sure Pals don't see their prisoners anymore either.

This is shaping up to be a repetition of the exchange fiasco with Hezbullah. Without prior knowledge of Gilad Shalit's condition, no deal should be concluded with Hamas.

If that makes you fee better and drops your high blood pressure then so be it.

IF ISRAEL REPORTED THAT THE CONDITION OF ARAB PRISONERS IS UNKNOWN AS TO WHETHER THEY ARE ALIVE,SICK OR DEAD ? YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE AS TO WHERE THEIR CONDEMNATION WOULD BE ? I THINK BY PAST PERFORMANCE ,THEY ARE A BIASED BUNCH OF SO AND SOS.

B"H - al-Muzeini, who is in charge of the Shalit case in the hamas organization: "Shalit's fate would only be revealed once a prisoner swap is executed. - ABY: I wonder what Israeli government would commit to a "prisoner swap" without a single living prisoner freed by hamas.

It must be made very clear that Israel will not exchange hundreds let alone thousands of prisoners in exchange for a dead body. Israel should make it clear that if he is dead the second and third round of prisoners being released will be shot and returned dead too.

To make sure Shalit is alive and well make sure that the last ones released are the 'heavy' prisoners this way we make sure the deal is on the level. They are not playing by the rules why should Israel let them make the rules as they go.

long time. It is unlikely he is alive or that the Hamas dogs would exchange him except as a corpse. The Lord's outrage at Hamas who live on the coasts of Canaan is best expressed by the Prophet Zephaniah who tells us what the Lord is going to do: He is going to kill all the Philistines (Palestinians) on the coasts of Canaan (Israel). God is going to kill them all. Gilad Shalit will be avenged by God HImself.

Since Hamas is trying to fool the Israel into releasing hundreds of their killers in exchange for Shallit whose condition they do not know about, why should Israel waste its time working on a deal with them? Hamas is nothing but terrorists, criminals, murderers, kidnappers and thugs. Israel should treat them as such.

B"H Something went wrong there with the linking. The text is as follows: - - al-Muzeini, who is in charge of the Shalit case in the hamas organization: "Shalit's fate would only be revealed once a prisoner swap is executed." - ABY: I wonder what Israeli government would commit to a "prisoner swap" without a single living prisoner freed by hamas. The URL to visit is: http://thetorahrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/07/islam-what-west-needs-to-know.html

step back and look at how obscene and ridiculous this is? Hamas doesn't know if he is dead or alive, but they want us to cough up 450 murderers to find out? Of course they know whether he is dead or alive, and if he is alive they know where he is, what he does every minute of the day and what kind of toothpaste he uses. He is their ace in the hole. If we give up 450 terrorists with blood on their hands for a corpse AGAIN, the way we gave up Samir Kuntar a year ago next Thursday, it can only be attributed to stupidity. Not one Palestinian prisoner, not one open Gaza Strip crossing, nothing, NOTHING, until we see Gilad Shalit walk out alive. And if we get a coffin, they should get 450.

TO # 11: You are absolutely right. I don't think the Israeli Government will be duped again into giving up live prisoners for corpses. We've gone that road already. There should be no negotiations whatsoever, unless we have proof of Shalit's condition. Unless we know exactly what we are negotiating for. The obscene stupidity of the hamas beasts - to demandthe return of their live butchers for a soldier, that we have no idea if he's alive or dead. These "beings" are simply animals, not human beings, and the world should view them as such.

finally we're hearing it.... what i've been saying all along.... no one has any idea if he's alive. just like regev and goldwasser, no one had any idea until them came back in boxes. why is everybody so sure he's alive? has anyone seen him? i pray every day that he will be ok, but we should not give 2 cents to those animals if he's not. what is the crap about we'll see his condition when he comes back?! sounds unfortunately very much like the other 2. :-(

and if they dont know where he is, they dont have him to negotiate over. That being the case, we dont need to "hold back" on killing off the Hamas leadership, an agreement I believe was made at the beginning of the "negotiations". Lets get on with it Israel. Hit every Hamas leader that makes an un-helpful comment on Shalit.

if he was till alive, we would be shown pictures of him suffering or begging for help, if nothing more than as a propaganda toll. No, he's dead, that's why they won't allow Red Cross, Carter, nobody to see him.

Why ? Would we talk to anyone about Gilad's relese without KNOWING he is alive and well ? Why don't we take more high value hostages and hold them for this purpose, one for one ! G-d knows I care for his familly and him, but stupid is stupid.

translation: "we are afraid tha you might try to kidnap hamas offficials in order to obtain information about him, so we know nothing". unfortunately, based on israel's past, and bitter, experience, gilad shalit is probably dead. this negotiation follows the same pattern as others in the past. and hamas' unwillingness to allow neutral observers to verify his condition pretty much confirms this. perhaps the time has come to consider retaliation instead of ransom.

Is Israel going to do another terrorist for bones swap? Hamas knows the condition of Shalit. It is pretty apparent that he is dead. I think the government should just tell the Shalit family that Gilad is gone, and that the matter will no longer be pursued. Also, Israel should return to its old policy regarding Hamas' leadership. Hamas is willing to fight to the last Palestinian, but is rather sensitive about getting its leadership getting bruised itself.

A terrorist rabble masquerading as a "government." Shalit is no longer alive. I would like his remains repatriated, but not at the cost of releasing several hundred miserable excuses for human beings. I also think that it is high time Israel razed Gaza to the ground.

We are working backwards when it comes to kidnapped soldiers. We should be assuming the worst, at the very least they are severely injured and probably won't survive. Even if they were not injured during the kidnapping, they have in almost 100% certainty been injured, maimed or killed since they were kidnapped. We need to smell the rose here, we are dealing with an extremely sadistic, savage, malicious, barbaric and whatever words you care to add race. THEY LIVE TO DIE! We/Israel, the Jews, need to fear the worst and if (G-d willing) Gilad and/or any other soldier comes back to us alive, we I have to say I have very little hope of because of who we are dealing with here. Of course one has the highest of hopes at all time that they are unharmed, one prays with all there soul and all they can ferver to plead with HaShem for their safe return, but we must b erealistic. www.yeshabulletin.com May HaShem bring Gilad Shalit home soon

If that young man is dead, they will feel our hellfire.

So he may not even be alive and where is the proof ?

Messrs Mashal & Heniya. Dont they teach proper Math in Gaza. ? Instead of 1000 Jews for one Mujahedin, you require 1000 Mujahedins for One Jew ?

When Israel makes exchanges that are unequal, it is only natural for Israel’s enemies to view the illegal kidnapping of Israeli civilians and soldiers, and the violation of their legal rights in captivity, as an extremely profitable activity. Furthermore, because Israel eschews the death penalty, Israel keeps terrorists alive in Israeli custody and thereby inadvertently creates a “bait” situation where terrorist groups attempt to free their men by ransoming newly-kidnapped Israelis. More at : http://xrl.us/kj6sj

ISRAEL SHOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING WITH THE ARABS UNTIL HE IS RETURNED SAFE AND SOUND! MAKING THESE RANSOMS BENEFICIAL TO THE ENEMY ONLY PROMOTES MORE OF THIS STUFF.

would like to speak to Hamas in the same way he wants to speak to Amadinijad and negotiate with them. Perhaps he can reason with them, even if no one else in the world can. What an arrogant prick. I admit I was stupid enought to be duped by him, but he is our worst enemy now.

we jews on the other side, like i said to my husband that voted for this liar and nobody.do not do it. i see things that are coming that you as a jew would not like. i asked my mom in law why she is voting for him. as a jew, she told me, "because i want america's standing and reputation to improve in the international arena". now you understand two things: 1. you jews cared nothing about the consequences of your voting for this zero and 2. you jews in america care nothing for israel and know nothing about reality on the ground that israelis deal with daily. seeing news that are portraying the israelis in such a negative light, peeks your self shame as jews living abroad. you binternalize that you are bad too and will do anything to wipe this image off yourselves by constantly voting for your own enemies blindly. had you read each of obama's books like i did, you would have noticed a quote in chapter 9 of his first book..."should the winds turn negatively for the muslims, i would be at the forefront to help them..." not to mention the constant and very visible "friends" he associated himself with. do you think obama was born in 2008? or in fact many years ago, sitting at the feet of rashid khalidi and professor said of columbia, both islamists palestinians that have the eradication of israel as their main focus. and, unfortunatelly, the last reason your failed in your judgement, is, i am sorry to say this, americans in general, are so removed from the ability of political analysis and intelligence and knowledge about world affairs and their consequesnces, that it is indeed frightening. therefore, you people end up choosing someone based on words and not on extensive research to see what he really is like. it is too late noe michael. way to late to have second thought on the subject of whether he is friend or foe. you were taken big time, just like the majority of this country that would have never voted for this community socialist organizer had they not hated bush so very much. did you think very hard when you put your ballot in the voting booth? had it occured to you that this man spent 20 years in a church that made its weekly sermons of hate towards jews and israel? that this community organizer and socialist never intended for one minute to respect any of the promises he made during his campaign? it should have been quite obvious to you to understand that he is not reliable and a liar when he changed his mind the next day after claiming in aipac that jerusalem will forever remain the eternal capital of israel and the jews....and how many flip flops has he done so far? just think about it. but no one respected my opinion or even wanted to listen to me. the messiah has come, according to all in the usa and again we were driven like sheep to the slaughter. yes, i am upset about you. about your change of mind, that should have occured way before now.

It's another mind-fuck from Hamas. Why don't the government grow some balls use the same sick psychology on them about the prisoners we have in our prisons? Why are they given such a comfortable life? Get the gloves off, it's time to play dirty.