The family of captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit anddozens of activists gathered outside the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on Sunday to protest against the stalemate in the prisoner exchange negotiations with Hamas .
As the cabinet held its weekly meeting, the protestors banged on the tin fence surrounding the PM's office and waved signs reading, "Our hope is not lost" - a phrase from Israel's national anthem 'Hatikvah' – "Bibi, Gilad is your captive" and "While you (ministers) are discussing numbers, Gilad may die".
Noam Shalit told Ynet he did not mind that ministers arriving at the PM's Office did not stop to talk to the protestors. "After so many years, we want action, and mainly results," the captive soldier's father said, adding that the family will hold a rally at the site every Sunday.
"We call on the general public – everyone who believes it is important to bring Gilad back – to join us here every Sunday at 9 am," he said.
Making noise for Gilad (Photo: Guy Assayag)
Demonstrator Idan Levy said, "We came here to make noise during the cabinet meeting. We demand that (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu bring Gilad home.
"We want to make enough noise so that the government will finally hear us – because it is not hearing Gilad's cries," he said.
The protestors chanted "Bibi, make good on your promise" and "The people have ruled that you must return Shalit.
Over the weekend the Egyptian paper al-Mesryoon, which is affiliated with the Islamic opposition in Egypt, reported that Cairo, Washington and the Hamas leadership are in talks aimed at bringing former US presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter to the Gaza Strip.
According to the report, the purpose of the visit is to hold negotiations with Hamas heads in the Strip on a deal in which Shalit would be returned to Israel in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Roi Mandel and Roni Sofer contributed to the report